I 




MEDITATIONS 



FOR THE 



PASSION SEASON, 



FROM THE 

^'EVANGELISCHE HAUS-AGENDE*' 

OF 

GEOKGE CHRISTIAN DIEFFENBACH, 



TRANSLATED BY 

CHARLES E. HAY, D. D., 



TO WHICH IS ADDED 



I 



A HARMONIZED HISTORY OF 

THE PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR 

ACCORDING TO 

THE FOUR GOSPELS. 



PHILADELPHIA, PA.: 
LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY. 



Us- 



THE L'BRARY OF 
CONGRESS. 

Copies Received 

JAN 24 1903 

iCopyngnt tnxry 
\ss No. 

COPY 



Copyright, 1908, 

BY THE 

LUTHERAN PUBLICATION SOCIETY. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Preface vii 

Introductory ix 

General Prayer 15 

Ash Wednesday (Isa. lii. 13 — liii. 12). The Deep 
flumiliation of Christ, His Sufferings and Death, 
and His Glorious Exaltation , 16 

Thursday (Lev. xvi. 1-22). The High-priest under 
the Old Covenant and the Great Sacrifice of the 
Atonement — A Type of the High-priesthood and 
Sacrifice of Christ 21 

Friday (Ps. xxii. 1-31). A Prophecy of David con- 
cerning the Sufferings and Glory of Christ 25 

Saturday (Heb. ix. 24 — x. 14). The Typical Priest- 
hood and Sacrifice of the Old Covenant Fulfilled 
/a Christ 29 



FIEST WEEK IN LENT. 
iDAY (Matt. iv. 1-11). Christ Tempted by Satan. 33 

Monday (Heb. ii. 6-18). Christ Became Man and 
Our Brother in order that He might be a True 
High-priest before God to Atone for the Sin of 



the World 40 

Tuesday (Heb. iv. 14— v. 10). Christ Our High- 
priest is Tempted as We are 44 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part I. Christ 
Anointed by Mary in Bethany 47 

Thursday. Passion History. Part IT. The Trium- 
phal Entry into Jerusalem and the Betrayal by 
Judas 51 

cm 



iv 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Fkiday. Passion History. Part III. The Washing 
of the Disciples' Feet 54 

Saturday (2 Cor. vi. 1-10). We should Appro- 
priate the Grace of God so Dearl}^ Won for Us and 
Live with Christ 58 

SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 

Sunday (Matt. xv. 21-28). Christ Heals the 
Daughter of the Canaanitish Woman 62 

Monday (Luke iv. 30-41). Tlie Lord has Authority 
over the Spirits of Darkness, who Knew Him well. 
When He Commands, they must Obey 67 

Tuesday (Luke viii. 26-39). Jesus Displays His 
Power over Evil Spirits in_ Delivering the Demo- 
niac in the Country of the Gadarenes 71 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part IV. The Last 
Passover and the Warning to Judas 74 

Thursday. Passion History. Part V. The Institu- 
tion of the Lord's Supper 77 

Friday. Passion History. Part YI. The Disciples 
Offended in Christ 81 

Saturday (1 Thes. iv. 1-7). Freed by Christ from 
the Power of Darkness, We should Follow after 
True Holiness 84 

THIKD WEEK IN LENT. 

Sunday (Luke xi. 14-28). Christ Drives out Devils 
and thereby Proves that the Kingdom of God is 
Come, and that He is the Stronger One who can 
Overcome the Strong Armed Man 88 

Monday (Col. i. 12-23). God the Father has, 
through Jesus Christ, Freed us from the Domin- 
ion of the Devil 93 

Tuesday (Col. ii. 6-15). Christ, in Whom Dwelleth 
All the Fullness of the Godhead, has Made us 
Free from All the Powers ^f Darkness 96 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part VII. Christ in 
Gethsemane 99 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. V 

PAGE 

Thuksday. Passion History. Part YIII. Christ 
Betrayed and Arrested 102 

Friday. Passion History. Part IX. Christ Before 
Annas and Caiaphas 106 

Saturday (Eph. v. 1-9). Christians, Freed from the 
Dominion of Darkness, should be Followers of 
God and Children of Light 109 

FOUETH WEEK IN LENT. 

Sunday (John vi. 1-15). The Miraculous Feeding 
of the Multitude in the Wilderness 113 

Monday (John vi. 35-50). Jesus Christ is the True 
Bread of Life 118 

Tuesday (John vi. 51-58). He Who in Faith Par- 
takes of the Flesh and Blood of Christ has Eternal 
Life, for He has Christ 122 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part X. Evidence 
that Christ is the Son of God 125 

Thursday. Passion History. Part XI. Peter De- 
nies His Lord 129 

Friday. Passion History. Part XII. The End of 
Judas 133 

Saturday (Gal. iv. 21-31). He Who would Find 
Life and its Fullness in the Fellowship of the Lord 
must Hope Only in His Mercy and must Accept as 
a Child Whatever the Free Grace of God Extends 
to Him 136 

FIFTH WEEK IX LENT. 

Sunday (John viii. 46-59). Christ Speaks of His 
Divine Glory 140 

Monday (John v. 17-24). Christ Proclaims His 
Divine Glory as Attested by His Divine Works, 
and Demands Divine Honors 145 



Tuesday (John x. 22-42). Christ Bears Witness to 
His Unity of Essence with the Father and Eebukes 
the Unbelief of Those who will not Hear His Voice. 148 



vi 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Wednesday. Passion History. Part XIII. Christ 
the King Before Pilate „ 152 

Thuesday. Passion History. Part XIY. The Fool- 
ish Choice of the Multitude 157 

Friday. Passion History. Part XY. Christ 
Scourged, Mocked and Conderuned 160 

Saturday (Heb. ix. 11-15). Christ, being God's 
Only-begotten Son, and Perfectly Holy, could be 
Our High-priest and Accomplish Eternal Redemp- 
tion.. 164 

SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 

Sunday (Matt. xxi. 1-9). The Triumphal Entry 
into Jerusalem 168 

Monday (Phil. ii. 5-11). The Humiliation and Exal- 
tation of Jesus 173 

Tuesday (John xvii. 1-26). The Sacerdotal Prayer 
of Christ 177 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part XVI. The Suf- 
fering Saviour Led to Calvary 182 

Thursday (1 Cor. xi. 23-32). The Celebration of the 
Lord's Supper 185 

Good Friday. Passion History. Part XVII. The 
Crucifixion of Christ 199 

Good Friday Evening. Passion History. Part 

XVIIL The Burial of Christ 209 

Saturday Before Easter (1 Pet iii. 15-22). The 
Descent into Hell 214 

History of the Passion of Our Lord 221 



PREFACE 



This book is purely devotional. It is issued 
by The Lutheran Publication Society in response 
to frequent inquiries for a book of this character. 
It covers the Passion Season, and is intended to 
be of use in the private devotion of the Christian, 
to direct the family worship in the home, and to 
aid in the public service of the churches during 
the Lenten time. 

The book consists of a translation of Dieffen- 
bach' s ' ^ Haus- Agende, ^ ' giving meditations and 
prayers and Scripture readings for each day from 
Ash Wednesday to Easter. It is characterized by 
a profound insight into the meaning of the story 
of our Lord's suffering, and a deep spirituality. 
For the excellent translation and the adaptation 
of the prayers, we are indebted to Charles E. 
Hay, D. D. 

A harmonized history of our Lord's Passion is 
added, and recorded by the four Evangelists, 
arranged in such form as to give the connected 
story in the inspired language of the Gospel. The 
daily reading of the ^ ^ Haus-Agende ' ' during the 
preceding weeks will prepare the devout soul, and 
find a conclusion of deep spiritual profit in the 
(vii) 



Vlll PREFACE. 

daily reading of the Passion History during Holy 
Week. 

In these days the busy head of the house scarcely 
finds time to carefully select his Scripture readings 
for family worship. It is hoped that this little 
book will help many to give a few moments each 
day to proper devotional thought, and bring the 
old, old story into many homes. It will be espe- 
cially helpful in bringing the devotions of the 
home into harmony with the great theme of 
meditation in the Church. 

It is a book that ought to be in every home. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The Passion Season, or Lent, begins with Ash 
Wednesday, and continues until the Saturday 
before Easter. It presents to our reverent con- 
templation Jesus Christ as the true divine High- 
priest, who offered Himself for us upon the cross, 
and who by His own blood entered for us once 
into the Holy of Holies, and wrought out for us 
an eternal redemption. But it is only as the God- 
man, true God and true man, that He can be a 
true High-priest. A mere man cannot deliver us. 
The eternal Son of God must Himself condescend 
to us in order to make an availing sacrifice for us, 
and thus to atone for the sins of the whole world, 
to sanctify our sinful natures, and to restore us to 
that fellowship wdth God from which we had fallen 
through sin. 

The season is to be appropriately observed as a 
time of serious reflection and penitence — a time 
when we contemplate the bitter sufferings of our 
Lord. 

In the lessons from the Passion History, which, 
according to ancient usage in the Church, are read 
during this period, the Lord appears in His deepest 
humiliation and shame, as the most despised and 
(ix) 



X 



INTRODUCTORY. 



unworthy of men, whilst the Gospels for the same 
period reveal His divine glory. The Passion Sea- 
son as it progresses brings into ever clearer view 
the two natures of Christ, His divinity and His hu- 
manity. It presents at once to our reverent 
thought the eternal divine High-priest in His glory ^ 
and the sacrificial offering rendered in His bitter suf- 
ferings and death. The former appears in the Gospel 
lessons appointed to be read upon the Sundays of 
Lent, and in the lessons for Monday and Tuesday 
of each week ; the latter, in the extracts for Wed- 
nesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Epistle for 
each Saturday of the period makes practical appli- 
cation of the lessons of the week immediately pre- 
ceding. 

1. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, has no 
specially appointed lesson. The fifty-third chapter 
of Isaiah may be appropriately used. Passages 
bearing upon the High-priesthood of Christ in its 
Old Testament type and its New Testament fulfill- 
ment may be read, and also the twenty-second 
Psalm as a prophetic announcement of the suffer- 
ings of Christ. 

2. First Week in Lent. Invocavit (Matt. iv. 
1-11). The Temptation of Christ. All the suf- 
ferings of Christ are to be attributed in the last 
analysis to the agency of Satan, whose constant 
aim it was to hinder the progress of the kingdom 
of God. The temptation of our Lord by Satan is 
therefore rightly included in the record of His 
sufferings and reveals His true humanity, since it 



INTRODUCTORY. 



xi 



is only as man and as onr brother that He can be 
tempted. At the same time, we witness in His 
victory over the tempter the clearest evidence 
of His divine glory. Only because He is both 
true God and true man can He redeem us and 
become our true High-priest. In the Passion 
History for the week we learn of the beginning of 
His deep humiliation. 

3. Second Week in Lent. Reminiscere (Matt. xv. 
21-28). The Lord not only triumphantly endures 
the temptation of Satan, but He also exerts His 
power over the spirits of darkness. He is appealed 
to by the heathen woman as the Lord to whom 
such power has been given. The evil spirits them- 
selves recognize Him, and unwillingly submit to 
His authority. While the glory of the Lord and 
His divine power thus shine forth with increasing 
brilHancy, the Passion History reveals His path- 
way as one of ever-deepening humiliation. 

4. Third Week in Lent Oculi (Luke xi. 14-28). 
Yet again the Lord is seen exercising His power 
over the Devil and his angels. As the Stronger 
One, He has overpowered the '^strong man 
armed," despoiled him of his power, and set free 
those held by him in bondage. It was the very 
purpose of His coming thus to destroy the works 
of the Devil. His time of suffering is as well the 
time of His victory over Satan and the world. 
But how severe the conflict and how deep the 
humiliation and suffering involved is made mani- 
fest in the lessons from the Passion History. 



Xll 



INTRODUCTORY. 



5. Fourth Week in Lent. Laetare (John vi. 
1-15). Easter is near. The time will soon be at 
hand when the Lord, as the great High-priest, will 
make Himself a sacrifice for the sins of His peo- 
ple. With prophetic reference to the Paschal 
Lamb, and to the fulfillment of the typical cere- 
mony of the Passover in the Lord's Supper, He 
feeds the multitude in the wilderness, foreshadow- 
ing the giving of His body and blood to death 
and for the spiritual nourishment of His followers. 
Thus He manifests His glory and His wealth in 
the feeding of the multitude, although still in His 
sufferings appearing in lowliness and poverty. 

6. Fifth Week in Lent. Judica (John viii. 
46-59). Christ here gives wonderful testimony 
concerning Himself. He claims for Himself per- 
fect sinlessness and truthfulness, the power to give 
life, full knowledge of the Father, honor from His 
Father. He speaks of His holy obedience, and 
asserts His eternity. John has preserved for us 
many such testimonies of Christ Himself as to his 
own person and glory. While He thus stands be- 
fore us in sublimest majesty, the Passion History 
presents to us in most striking contrast the infinite 
abasement of the eternal Son of God. 

7. Sixth Week in Lent. Palmarum (Matt. xxi. 
1-9). With our Lord's triumphal entry into Jeru- 
salem begins the true Passion Week. As a King 
He enters, amid the acclamation of His people. 
The radiance of His glory shines about Him even 
as He is preparing to descend into the profoundest 



INTRODUCTORY. 



Xlll 



depths of suffering and shame, to the contempla- 
tion of which we are led by the Passion History 
in this Silent Week. On Maundy- Thursday we rev- 
erently meditate upon the institution of the Holy 
Supper. On Good Friday we read the narrative 
of the crucifixion of the Lord as the consumma- 
tion of the sacrifice of our High-priest. With 
Silent Saturday closes the solemn Lenten Season, 
which has thus impressively set before us the 
glory and the humiliation of Christ, His divinity 
and His humanity, and His office as the great 
High-priest. 



MEDITATIONS 

FOR THE 

PASSION SEASON. 



GENERAL PRAYEE. 

Beneath Thy cross, Lord Jesus Christ, our eternal High- 
priest, we bow in this sacred season. Grant us Thy Holy 
Spirit, "that we may with silent reverence celebrate Thy 
deep sufferings and Thine unfathomable love. We have 
by our sins caused Thee grievous toil and 1 hou hast been 
wounded for our transgressions. How hast Thou hum- 
bled Thyself — Thou, the only -begotten Son of God, God 
of God, Light of Light, very God of very God ! How can 
we fitly thank Thee for Thine agony and torment, for Thy 
stripes and wounds, for Thy sighs' and tears, for Thy bit- 
ter death upon the cross ? Accept, Lord Jesus, the poor 
thank-offering that we bring Thee in our prayers, and 
grant that Ave may learn to understand more fully, to ex- 
perience more deeply, and more heartily to adore Thine 
unfathomable love. Bless to us the celebration of this 
holy season, and grant us grace to know Thee aright as 
our eternal High-priest and reverently to meditate upon 
Thine eternal glory and Tliy deep humiliation. May the 
consideration of Thy glory and Thy sufferings lead us to 
true repentance, that we may learn to know and hate our 
sins and seek in Thee alone grace, comfort, peace, and 
life. Permit us to taste on earth the blessed fruits of Thy 
holy sacrifice, and bring us at length, by the virtue of 
Thy precious blood, through death and the grave, to eter- 
nal blessedness. 

(15) 



16 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



Lamb of God, slain in Thine innocence upon the 
cross — ever patient wast Thou amidst reproach and con- 
tempt. All our sins hast Thou borne. Wherefore 
then should we fear ? Grant us Thy peace, Lord Jesus. 
Amen. 



Ash Wednesday. The Deep Humiliation of 
Christy His Sufferings and Death, and His Glorious 
Exaltation. 



13. Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be ex- 
alted and extolled, and be very high. 

14. As many were astonied at thee ; his visage was so marred 
more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men ; 

15. So shall he sprinkle many nations ; the kings shall shut their 
mouths at him : for //lal which had not been told them shall they 
see ; and i/ia^ which they had not heard shall they consider. 

1. Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of 
the IvORD revealed ? 

2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a 
root out of a dry ground : he hath no form nor comeliness ; and 
when we shall see him, ihere is no beauty that we should desire 
him. 

3. He is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and 
acquainted with grief : and we hid as it were our faces from him ; 
he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows : yet 
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, ke was bruised 
for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; 
and with his stripes we are healed. 

6. All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every 
one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity 
of us all. 

7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not 
his mouth : he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

8. He was taken from prison and from judgment : and who shall 
declare his generation ? for he was cut off out of the land of the 
living : for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 

9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in 
his death ; because he had done no violence, neither was any de- 
ceit in his mouth. 

10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to 
grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall 
see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the 
Lord shall prosper in his hand. 

11. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied : 
by his knowledsfe shall my righteous servant justify many ; for 
he shall bear their iniquities. 

12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he 
shall divide the spoil with the strong ; because he hath poured 
out his soul unto death : and he was numbered with the trans- 
gressors ; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for 
the trangressors (Isa. lii. 13— liii. 12). 



ASH WEDNESDAY. 



17 



1. We have in the preceding portion of the 
Church Year considered the Prophetic office which 
Jesus Christ, the holy Servant of God, so ^ ' pru- 
dently'' exercised. To-day we enter upon the 
Passion Season, when we reverently dwell upon 
the High-priestly office of the Lord, and especially 
upon His bitter sufferings. The Holy Ghost has, 
through the prophet Isaiah, given us a wonder- 
ful prophetic announcement of the deep humilia- 
tion and sufferings, as well as of the final exaltation 
of our Saviour. Luther says of it : There is in- 
deed in the whole volume of the Old Testament 
no clearer text or prophecy both of the sufferings 
and of the resurrection of Christ than this chapter. ' ' 
Therefore at the opening of the Passion Season we 
read this prophecy, whose wonderful fulfillment we 
shall observe during the progress of the weeks be- 
fore us. 

2. Verses 18-15. Here we see the holy Ser- 
vant of God, who, although He has dealt pru- 
dently, is yet rejected by many, but shall never- 
theless be exalted and ardently worshiped by kings 
and nations. We should not, like Israel, take of- 
fense at His lowliness, but find our delight in 
Him, who, though God's eternal and exalted Son, 
yet for our sakes becomes so pitiably poor and de- 
spised. W e should in this sacred season set before 
us both His glory and His lowliness, that we may 
be impelled to close our lips before Him in reverent 
penitence — and again break forth in praise and 
thanksgiving for His grace. 

2 



18 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

3. Verses l-S. Isaiah begins to proclaim the 
coming events revealed to him \)y the Spirit. It 
is a wonderful announcement. 0, that it might 
be believed by all ! He preaches, first of all, of the 
deep humiliation of Christ. Consider how despised 
and rejected, how full of sorrow and grief, was thy 
Saviour in His sufferings — mocked, scourged, spit 
upon, forsaken by all, nailed to the cross, and 
numbered among transgressors. 

4. Verses Jf-6. The sufferings which Christ 
endured were all undeserved. He is holy and 
without sin. ^ ' He hath borne our griefs and car- 
ried our sorrows ; He was wounded for our trans- 
gressions ; He was bruised for our iniquities. The 
Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." 
Thus does Isaiah speak of the cause of our Lord's 
sufferings and death. 

Says Luther, This article of our faith: Christ 
has borne our sins, is the chief and only founda- 
tion-stone upon which the whole Gospel is founded 
and built, so that, where this article remains 
standing, all other articles are secure. Hence the 
devil has not been at so great pains to overthrow 
any other article, for he knows that all depends 
upon this one. It is just this article, too, which 
makes an everlasting distinction between our re- 
ligion and all others in the world." 

But if we wish to have a share in the blessing 
of this lofty article," as Luther calls it, we must 
rightly understand the little word our," so that 
we may with deep penitence recognize and confess 



ASH WEDNESDAY. 



19 



that our sin. is the cause of His death, and with 
true faith comfort ourselves with the thought that 
the sins of us all have been laid upon Him, and 
thus removed from us. For by the word ^ our ' 
the blessed and salutary sufferings of Christ are 
imputed and imparted to us — yea, they become as 
really our own as though we had ourselves ex- 
perienced them He who rightly 

knows and understands this truth has learned the 
whole sum and substance of Christianity and of 
our faith. For out of this full, rich well the holy 
apostle Paul has drawn a great part of his con- 
solatory epistles and a whole flood of blessed and 

comforting sayings This doctrine of 

Christian justification can no one understand or 
comprehend without the aid of the true master and 
teacher, the Holy Ghost." — Luther. 

5. Verse 7. Isaiah further sets before our spir- 
itual vision ' ' how great divine patience our Lord 
possessed and displayed in His bitter sufferings. 
His thoughts were set upon peace and salvation, 
and how He might heal our sins by His own 
wounds. This great gentleness and kindness and 
graciousness of the patient heart of Christ he sets 
forth in the beautiful symbol of an innocent lamb, 
about to be slain for sacrifice, which is perfectly 
silent, not even breathing a sigh — so patient also 
was Christ. ' ' — Luther. 

6. Verses 8-12. After suffering comes glory — 
after the painful sowing of the seed, the gathering 
of the precious fruit. Of this Isaiah finally 



20 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



speaks. The Lord, the vanquisher of hell, death 
and the law, now lives eternally. The seed of 
His Church is multiplied so that He finds delight 
in the abundant increase. Many shall become 
righteous and therefore blessed through His knowl- 
edge, i. e., through true faith in Him, for only he 
knows Christ rightly who believes in Him. As an 
eternal Conqueror, He shall have for spoils a great 
multitude, among them the strong and great and 
mighty of the earth, for He has, by His death, 
vanquished sin, death, the devil and hell. The 
Lord grant that we may also enjoy to all eternity 
the fruits of His glorious victory. 

PRAYER. 

Lord Jesus Christ, who hast by Thine innocent 
and holy sufferings obtained for us poor lost sinners the 
gracious favor of Thy heavenly Father and eternal life, 
we call to mind in this solemn Passion Season Thy bitter 
sufferings and cruel death, and we thank Thee from our 
inmost hearts for Thy love, for Thy distress and agony, 
and for Thine atoning death. We humbly pray Thee, pre- 
serve in us forever the spirit of love and thankfulness to 
Thee for all Thy sufferings, and grant us grace to recog- 
nize with grateful hearts and magnify the priceless boon 
of deliverance from sin and death. May the contempla- 
'tion of Thy great redeeming work make us stronger in 
faith, more joyous in hope, warmer in our love, calmer 
in patience, more willing and constant in obedience. Do 
Thou help us, Lord, that even in our distress on account 
of our own sins we mav find consolation in the thought 
of Thy willing sacrifice for us and Thy precious blood 
shed for us upon the cross. By the virtue of this Thy 
sacrifice and Thy holy intercession may we be freed from 
the burden of all our sins and blessed with forgiveness 
and peace. Deliver us from an evil conscience by the 
power of Thy sufferings and death, and help us to utterly 
renounce all evil, dying unto sin, and to lead lives of hcli- 



THUKSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 



21 



ness. Be near us when our end draws nigh, that we may 
know the comfort of Thy death, and, dying peacefully in 
Thee, may enter into everlasting life. Amen. 



Thursday. The High-priest under the Old Cov- 
enant and the Great Sacrifice of the Atonement — a 
Type of the High-priesthood and Sacrifice of Christ. 

1. And the I^ord spake unto Mjses after the death of the two 
sons of Aaron, when they offered before the IvORD, and died ; 

2. And the lyORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy 
brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within 
the vail before the mercy seat, which 7S upon the ark ; that he 
die not : for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 

3. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place : with a young 
bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 

4. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the 
linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen 
girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired : these are holy 
garments ; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put 
them on. 

5. And he shall take of the congregation of the children tft 
Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a 
burnt offering. 

6. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which 
IS for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his 
house. 

7. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before 
the lyOKD al the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

8. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats ; one lot for the 
lyORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 

9. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the lyORD's lot 
fell, and offer him /or a sin offering. 

10. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, 
shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement 
with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

11. And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which 
t's for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for 
his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is 
for himself : 

12. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from 
off the altar before the I^ord, and his hands full of sweet incense 
beaten small, and bring it within the vail : 

13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the lyORD, 
that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that zs 
upon the testimony, that he die not : 

14. And he shall take of the blood of the bullook, and sprinkle 
it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward ; and before the 
mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven 
times. 

15. Then shall he kill the goat ofjisin offering, that is for the 
people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that 
blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it 
upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat : 

16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy because 
of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their 



22 MEDITATIONS FOB THE PASSION SEASON. 



transgressions in all their sins : and so shall he do for the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the 
midst of their uncleanness. 

17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congre- 
gation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy 
until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and 
for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. 

18. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the I^ord, 
and make an atonement for it ; and shall take of the blood of 
the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the 
horns of the altar round about. 

19. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger 
seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness 
of the children of Israel. 

20. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy 
place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he 
shall bring the live goat : 

21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the 
live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children 
of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting 
them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the 
hand of a fit man into the wilderness : 

22. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a 
land not inhabited : and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness 
(Lev. xvi. 1-22). 



1. Verses 1.10. The Old Testament bears testi- 
mony to the coming Christ, not alone through 
the utterances of the prophets, but as well through 
the lives of the holy men of old and through a 
great variety of sacred ordinances. Abraham, 
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David 
and Solomon, in fact all the judges, proph- 
ets, priests and kings, were each, in some 
peculiar way, types of Christ. This was par- 
ticularly noticeable in the case of the high-priest. 
His office pointed forward to the true and eternal 
High-priesthood of Christ, and the great Day of 
Atonement, referred to in our lesson to-day, is 
but a type of that true and great Day of Atone- 
ment upon which Jesus Christ by His own blood 
made propitiation for all our sins and reconciled 
us to God. 



THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 



23 



In the celebration of the Jf^wish Day of Atone- 
ment, the high-priest, clothed in sacred robes, 
after careful preparatory observances, consisting 
of fastings and various washings, brought before 
the Lord on the tenth day of the seventh month 
the beasts appointed for the sin offering — a bul- 
lock for himself and his house and two he-goats 
for the people, with two rams for a burnt offer- 
ing. 

2. Verses 11-14- The bullock was first led for- 
ward, and the high-priest laid his hands upon its 
head, confessing his sins and the sins of his house. 
He pronounced the name of the Lord three times, 
at which the whole assembly of the people fell upon 
their faces in prayer. He then slew the bullock, 
and having previously, by the burning of incense, 
filled the Holy of Holies with a thick cloud of 
smoke, brought into it in a golden bowl the blood 
of the bullock and sprinkled of it seven times to- 
ward the mercy-seat as an atonement for the sins 
of himself and his household. 

3. Verses 15-19. He then slew one. of the goats, 
chosen by lot, carried its blood, in a golden bowl, 
into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled of it seven 
times toward the mercy-seat as an atonement for 
all the sins of the whole nation. 

4. Verses 20-22, Finally, the high-priest led up 
the other goat, laid both his hands upon its head, 
and confessed upon it all the iniquity of the 
children of Israel and all their transgressions. 
Three times he uttered the name of the Lord, 



24 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

and each time the whole assembly fell upon 
their faces. The goat was then led out into the 
wilderness, to bear away with it all the sins of the 
people. 

5. Such was the ancient celebration of the great 
Day of Atonement in Israel. We see in Christ 
the fulfillment of the prophetic ceremony. He is 
the true High-priest, who, not with the blood of 
goats, but through His own blood, entered once 
into the Holy of Holies and wrought an eternal 
redemption. That which was only a typical act 
under the old covenant has, in Christ, become a 
reality. He has, by His sacrifice, atoned for all 
sin ; for God the Father laid upon Him the sins 
of us all, and He has borne away all our trans- 
gressions, so that they shall be remembered no 
more forever. We need only appropriate to our- 
selves in faith the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. For 
us, too, was that sacrifice brought and our sins 
have been borne away and atoned for by Christ. 
That which He has won by His sacrifice He be- 
stows upon us in Holy Baptism and imparts to us 
through His Word and the Holy Supper. The 
means of grace have their efiicacy only through 
His blood shed upon the cross. We should, 
therefore, rest our confidence entirely upon His 
sacrifice and not upon our own works. By the 
virtue of His sacrifice we hope at length to die in 
happiness and peace and on the last day to enter 
into everlasting life. May God grant it in His 
abundant mercy. 



FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 



25 



PRAYER. 

Thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we 
heartily thank Thee that Thou has given Thine only- 
begotten Son to death for us, that whosoever believeth in 
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Thou 
hast laid our chastisement upon Him, that we might have 
peace, and by His wounds we are healed. Father of 
Mercies ! Look not upon us in our sinfulness, but look 
upon us in the face of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, holy and 
beloved, and forgive our many and great sins for the sake 
of the all-atoning sacrifice which He has made for us. 
Lord Jesus ! Set before our eyes from day to day, and 
especially in this time of Thy bitterest sufferings, the 
vision of Thine unfathomable love and enkindle in our 
cold, dead hearts the flame of holy ardor, that we may 
love Thee above all things, who hast loved us even unto 
death. Grant us grace that we may contemplate Thy 
sufferings with truly penitent hearts and with living 
faith. Slay w^e beneath Thy cross find a refuge from 
the curse of sin and from the condemnation of the law 
and of our own consciences. Cease not, Thou heavenly 
High-priest, ever to pray for us, Father, forgive them." 
Blessed Saviour, enable us by the pow^er of Thy death to 
turn from sin with loathing, to crucify the flesh w^itli its 
sinful desires and lusts, and live alone to Thee in the 
world. We commit ourselves without reserve to Thy 
love and grace. Abide with us now and forever with 
Thy peace and comfort, with Thine eternal faithfulness 
and grace. In our days of prosperity and hours of joy 
may we keep before us the memory of Thy bloody suf- 
ferings, that we fall not into sin nor wander into the 
ways of destruction. If Thou sendest suffering and trials, 
make us steadfast. Give us courage, as we look upon Thy 
cross, to bear with patience whatever Thy love may lay 
upon us, and support us in Thy mercy, that we may 
overcome in every trial, and stand at length rejoicing in 
Thy presence in eternal glory. Amen. 



Friday. A Prophecy of David concerning the 
Sufferings and Glory of Christ 

1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? 7£/ky art thou 
so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring ? 

2. O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not ; and 
in the night season, and am not silent. 



26 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of 
Israel. 

4. Our fathers trusted in thee ; they trusted, and thou didst 
deliver them. 

5. They cried unto thee, and were delivered : they trusted in 
thee, and were not confounded. 

6. But I am a worm, and no man ; a reproach of men, and de- 
spised of the people. 

7. All ihey that see me laugh me to scorn : they shoot out the 
lip, they shake the head, saying, 

8. He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him : let him 
deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 

g. But thou art he that took me out of the womb : thou didst 
make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 

10. I was cast upon thee from the womb : thou art my God from 
my mother's belly. 

11. Be not far from me ; for trouble is near : for there is none to 
help. 

12. Many bulls have compassed me : strong bulls of Bashan 
have beset me round. 

13. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a 
roaring lion. 

14. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of 
joint : my heart is like wax ; it is melted in the midst of my 
bowels. 

15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd ; and my tongue 
cleaveth to my jaws ; and thou hast brought me into the dust of 
death. 

16. For dogs have compassed me : the assembly of the wicked 
have enclosed me : they pierced my hands and my feet. 

17. I may tell all my bones : they look stare upon me. 

18. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my 
vesture. 

ig. But be not thou far from me, O lyORD : O my strength, haste 
thee to help me. 

20. Deliver my soul from the sword ; my darling from the 
power of the dog. 

21. Save me from the lion's mouth : for thou hast heard me 
from the horns of the unicorns. 

22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren : in the midst of 
the congregation will I praise thee. 

23. Ye that fear the lyORD, praise him ; all ye the seed of Jacob, 
glorify him ; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 

24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the 
afflicted ; neither hath he hid his face from him ; but when he 
cried unto him, he heard. 

25. My praise shall he of thee in the great congregation : I will 
pay my vows before them that fear him. 

26. The meek shall eat and be satisfied : they shall praise the 
lyORD that seek him : your heart shall live for ever. 

27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the 
IvORD : and all the kindreds of th« nations shall worship before 
thee. 

28. For the kingdom is the lyORD's : and he is the governor 
among the nations. 

2g. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship : all 
they that go down to the dust shall bow before him : and none 
can keep alive his own soul. 

30. A seed shall serve him ; it shall be accounted to the Lord 
for a generation. 

31. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto 
a people that shall be born, that he hath done this (Ps. xxii. 1-31). 



FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 27 

1. David here celebrates the bitter sufferings of a 
holy and righteous One, and gives assurance that 
after all his misery he shall attain a glorious vic- 
tory and everlasting dominion. All the righteous 
in Israel must to-day, as in all ages, suffer much 
and enter into rest through distress and misery. 
But the declarations of this Psalm find their pro- 
foundest fulfillment only in the Most Holy and 
Righteous One who ever trod the earth — in Him 
who bore the most bitter sufferings and has entered 
upon the highest honor and glory — our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Hold up this vivid portrayal of sufferings 
by the side of the picture of the Crucified One, and 
you will fall reverently upon your knees before 
Him who has borne so much in accordance with 
the fore-ordained counsel of God. 

2. Verses 1-22. David here portrays various . 
features of our Lord' s sufferings as He endures for 
us shame, distress, and death. ^^My God, my 
God, why hast Thou forsaken me ? ' ' cries the 
Lord upon the cross, as He experiences for us the 
curse of sin. The eternal Son of God is forsaken 
by His Father, that we may not be forsaken for- 
ever. It is the Lord who has become a reproach 
of men and despised of the people." At Him 
they wagged their heads and cried in mockery : 

^ ^ Now let the Lord deliver Him. ' ' He experienced 
the fainting and thirsting spoken of, as He cried : 
I thirst. They pierced my hands and my feet,'' 
the Lord might have lamented on the cross. 
They part my garments among them and cast 



28 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

lots upon my vesture ' ' was literally fulfilled at 
the foot of the cross. It was not concealed from 
the Lord that He must endure all this. He Him- 
self applies this Psalm to Himself, as He, hanging 
upon the cross, appropriates its opening w^ords : 
^^My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken 
me?" How clearly is not His love for us re- 
vealed, in that He willingly assumed such suffer- 
ings that we might have everlasting joy and 
peace ! 

3. Verses 28-31. That which is here foretold 
has since then, in part, come to pass, and is yet 
finding constantly renewed fulfillment. That 
which the Lord has achieved by His sufferings. 
He has, in His mercy, bestowed upon us. Souls 
in distress are, by His grace, satisfied with peace 
and life. His righteousness is proclaimed to all 
the nations, that they may repent and turn to 
God. The Lord has through His sufferings won 
for Himself a kingdom, in which His loyal sub- 
jects serve him, and all heathen tribes w^orship 
and bow the knee before Him. We live in the 
midst of the fulfillment of these prophecies. This 
kingdom will continue to flourish, although thou- 
sands in our day rise up against it and array 
themselves against the Lord. He shall reign at 
length, and all His enemies shall be put under 
His feet, and at His name every knee shall bow of 
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things 
under the earth. We wait in patience, and hope 
for the final fulfillment of this promise and for the 



SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 29 



consummation of the kingdom of God. May the 
Lord make us partakers of His peace. 



PKAYER. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Lamb of God, we heartily 
thank Thee that Thou hast borne the sins of the world, 
and hast by Thy suffering and death made atonement for 
our sins. Thou didst give Thyself into the hands of sin- 
ners, and wast for our sake mocked, and scourged, and 
crowned with thorns, and crucified. 0, do Thou grant us 
grace, that we may by reverent meditation upon Thy holy 
sufferings and death be made lowly of heart, comforted 
in all trials of life and of death, and fully armed against 
the assaults of sin and the world. Thou hast, blessed 
Saviour, left us an example, that we should follow in Thy 
footsteps. Grant that, looking unto Thee, the Author 
and Finisher of our faith, we may run with patience the 
'race that is set before us, and attain at length the end of 
our faith, even the salvation of our souls, when we shall 
praise and bless Thee to all eternity for Thine unutter- 
able love. Amen. 



Saturday. The Typical Priesthood and Sacrifice 
of the Old Covenant Fulfilled in Christ. 

24. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with 
hands, which are the figures of the true ; but into heaven itself, 
now to appear in the presence of God for us : 

25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest 
entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others ; 

26. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation 
of the world : but now once in the end of the world hath he ap- 
peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this 
the judgment: 

28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many ; and 
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time 
without sin unto salvation. 

1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and 
not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices 
which they offered year by year continually make the comers 
thereunto perfect. 

2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered ? because 
that the worshippers once purged should have had no more con- 
science of sins. 

3. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of 
sins every year. 

4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats 
should take away sins. 



30 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



5. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, SacrU 
fice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou pre- 
pared me : 

6. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no 
pleasure. 

7. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is writ- 
ten of me, ) to do thy will, O God. 

8. Above when he said. Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings 
and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure 
thereiyi ; which are offered by the law ; 

9. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God= He taketh 
away the first, that he may establish the second. 

10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of 
the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

11. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering 
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins : 

12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for 
ever, sat down on the right hand of God ; 

13. From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foot- 
stool. 

14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are 
sanctified (Heb. ix. 24 — x. 14). 



1. Chapter verses 24--28. That which was 
done in type and symbol under the old covenani 
has been fulfilled by Christ. The high-priest of 
the old coA^enant only pointed forward to the 
coming of the true High-priest. The tabernacle 
of Israel is only a type of the real true tabernacle, 
heaven itself ^ where the everlasting Father dwells 
in His glory. Thither, into this eternal sanctuary, 
our High-priest has entered to appear before the 
face of God for us. For us — may these golden 
words be grasped in true faith by everyone who 
bears the name of Christ. For us He has ai:>- 
peared, by His one sacrifice to take away our 
sins. His sacrifice need not be repeated every 
year, as that of the high-priest under the old 
covenant ; for in His sacrifice He shed not an- 
other's blood but His own. Such a precious sac- 
rifice has efficacy to take away all sins. He who 
in faith lays hold upon this act of grace and in 



SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY. 31 

the blessed assurance of faith says : For me the 
eternal Son of God and Son of Mary shed His 
blood, may be full of confidence, fearing not even 
the day of judgment — may calmly await the 
coming of the Lord unto salvation. He who shall 
appear as a glorious King and as the Judge of the 
world will be none other than He who has borne 
our sins. How can He condemn us who has re- 
deemed us with His own blood ? 

2. Chapter 10^ verses 1-9. The Old Testament 
sacrifices are only typical. They are related to 
the true sacrifice of Christ as a shadow to the sub- 
stantial object which produces it. They could 
neither lift the burden of sin, nor really effect that 
entire surrender to the Lord which they typically 
signify ; they could not make perfect. Their 
constant repetition bears evidence that they could 
not set free nor satisfy the conscience. And how 
could the blood of oxen and goats take away sins ? 
The Old Testament sacrifice was designed to be 
merely a vivid reminder of sins, through which 
might be kept alive in the heart a consciousness of 
sin and longing for complete expiation. This full 
satisfaction for our sins and true self-surrender to 
God — the perfect sacrifice — Jesus Christ has ren- 
dered for us. In Christ is fulfilled what David fore- 
tells in Ps. xl. 6-8. God has no pleasure in the 
symbohc sacrifices and gifts ; they are not sufficient 
in His sight. Christ, of whom it has been so writ- 
ten in the volume of sacred Scriptures, has come to 
do the will of God. In His complete self-surrender 



32 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



to God in the blameless fulfillment of the whole 
law, as in His sufferings and death, he has brought 
the true and perfect sacrifice. Thus all the merely 
symbolic sacrifices are abolished — the first or 
typical sacrifice is done away with, and the sec- 
ond, or true and real, sacrifice established. 

3. Verm^lO-U. In Christ's fulfillment of the 
law, we too are sanctified. The Lord fulfilled 
the law /or iis. If we are united to Him in faith, 
His obedience belongs also to us, and w^e have there- 
fore fully surrendered ourselves to God in Christ, 
so that henceforth our body and soul, with all our 
talents and powers, belong to Him. Hence there 
is no need of a repetition of the sacrifice of Christ, 
but only of the appropriation of that sacrifice in 
faith. Not only has the Lord atoned for separate 
sins, but the one great general evil — sin itself — has 
been blotted out by His sacrifice ; and if we now 
only remain in Christ and He in us, we are made 
eternally complete in Him, and shall with Him, 
as He sits at the right hand of God, trample all en- 
emies, sin, death, Satan, and hell, under our feet. 

Such is the power of the precious sacrifice of 
Christ. May the Lord by His grace enable us all 
to experience this power in our own lives. 

PEAYER. 

Our Lord and Saviour, blessed be Thy holy name for 
ever and ever. Blessed be Thy faithfulness and mercy 
shown toward us poor sinners in the hours of Thy bitter 
suffering and death upon the cross. O, what distress and 
agony and torture were caused Thee by our sins ! At 
what a price hast Thou redeemed, secured, and delivere^i 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



33 



US from sin, death, and the power of the devil — not with 
silver and gold, but by Thy precious blood and Thine 
innocent suSerings and death. Grant that we may now 
live and walk as Thy redeemed ones, holy and beloved, 
washed clean from sin by Thy blood and sanctified by Thy 
Word in the washing of regeneration to be a holy people 
unto Thee. In the hour of temptation hold Thou before 
us Thy deep suffering, that we may tremble at the thought 
of the sin and unrighteousness of men which pressed upon 
Thee as an awful burden. In all our trials and sufferings, 
in all our earthly sorrows and distress, may we draw com- 
fort and blessing from Thine agony and torture. Amid 
all the conflicts of the world, let peace flow upon us from 
Thy holy w^ounds. And when the hour shall come when 
we must take our departure from this earth, 0, then by 
the virtue of Thy death upon the cross, grant us Thy 
peace, with true faith and a rejoicing heart, that we may 
gain the victory over death. 0, Lord, do Thou uphold 
us, and lead us through all the sorrows of the world and 
the terrors of death to everlasting life and blessed peace, 
for the sake of Thy holy passion and most bitter death. 
Anien. 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 

All the sufferings of the Lord may be traced to 
Satan as their source. With the temptation in 
the wilderness the assault of the great enemy 
begins. That Christ is open to temptation is for 
us an evidence of His true humanity, while His 
threefold victory reveals His divine glory. His 
twofold nature, truly human and truly divine, 
makes it possible for Him to be our High-priest. 



Sunday. Christ Tempted by Satan. 

1. Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be 
tempted of the devil. 

2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was 
afterward an hungered. 

3. And when the tempter came to him, he said. If thou be the 
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 

3 



34 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live 
by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the 
mouth of God. 

5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth 
him on a pinnacle of the temple, 

6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself 
down : for it is written, He shall give his angels charjge concern- 
ing thee : and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any 
time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

7. Jesus said unto him. It is written again. Thou shalt not 
tempt the Lord thy God. 

8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high 
mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and 
the glory of them ; 

9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou 
wilt fall down and worship me. 

10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan : for it is 
written. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only 
shalt thou serve. 

11. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and 
ministered unto him (Matt. iv. i-ii). 

1. Verses 1 and 2. Immediately after His bap- 
tism our Lord was led by the Holy Spirit into the 
wilderness. He tarried there in quiet loneliness, 
certainly in the most intimate association with His 
Father. He was accustomed to retire thus fre- 
quently into the wilderness, or up the mountain- 
sides, to hold converse with His Father in prayer. 
This quiet intercourse with God has become our 
privilege, also through Christ. The way of ap- 
proach to the Father has, through Him, been 
opened to us, and ^he who desires to hold his 
ground manfully in the conflicts and storms of this 
world will need these hours of secret prayer. 
Where this hidden life with God is wanting, there 
true courage will be lacking for the strife and true 
fortitude in suffering. In secret is stored up the 
water of life, which bursts forth as a fountain to 
refresh the thirsty and to revive the parched 
land. 

The Lord fasted forty days and forty nights. In 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



35 



quiet retirement and in most familiar intercourse 
with His heavenly Father in prayer, He sought 
preparation for entrance upon His public ministry, . 
Then came the tempter, the devil. The old 
enemy, who had led our first parents astray, and 
alienated them from the Lord their God, will not 
without a conflict allow himself to be robbed of 
his booty. He will attempt to overthrow the 
Prince of Life, for he well knows that the latter 
has come to destroy his own evil works. Since 
the Lord has become a true man, he may now 
venture to approach Him. The temptation of 
Christ comes thus directly from the devil. It is 
idle to attempt to evade this fact, or to explain it 
away. It could not be otherwise. He who argues 
that the evil thoughts which came to Christ ori- 
ginated in His own heart slanders the Holy One. 
Temptation must come to Him from without, 
from him who was a murderer and a liar from the 
beginning ; for in Christ there is no evil lust, not 
even the slightest inclination to wrong-doing. No 
one can charge Him with sin. His soul is sinless 
and holy, a mirror of heavenly purity, whose clear 
surface has never been beclouded by any breath of 
sin, and is, therefore, unaffected by the wiles of the 
tempter. We are also subject to temptation. 
Satan assails us with all his arts, the world allures 
us with her pleasures, pomp and wealth, and — 
worst of all— our own flesh lusts after evil. Thus 
the enemy, assailing us from without, finds an 
ally in our own hearts, and hence it is that we fall 



36 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

SO easily and so often. Who of us has not occa- 
sion sorely to lament many a fall into sin, many 
an hour of weakness, when we were overcome by 
the tempter ? 

2. Verses 3 and Jf. Thrice the tempter assails 
the Holy One of God. It was his design to bring 
Him to shame in His threefold official character, 
as Prophet, High-priest and King. The devil 
tries in turn the three keys which open the doors 
of all other human hearts, i. e. he appeals to the 
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride 
of life. But these keys, so successfully employed 
in other cases, do not fit the heart of Jesus. How 
often has not one or the other of them opened 
your heart ! First, he assails Christ as the great 
Prophet, and tempts Him to employ His power of 
working miracles for His own carnal indulgence. 
But the holy Prophet repels the tempter with the 
Word of God. Not for Himself does He perform 
miracles, but for us poor children of men ; not for 
the satisfaction of His own fleshly appetites, but 
as proofs of His holy office and His divine mission. 
Prompted by love and mercy. He chose for Him- 
self poverty and want, that He might satisfy our 
souls with life, peace and joy. Whosover clings 
to Him in true faith can withstand temptation and 
repulse the tempter, who only too often still 
assails us with allurements appealing to the lust 
of the flesh. The Word of God is our best weapon 
of defense, and Christ is the best comrade in the 
conflict. 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



37 



3. Ferses 5-7, Approaching the Lord a second 
time, Satan leads Him out upon a pinnacle of the 
temple, and, by the artful employment of a passage 
of Scripture, endeavors to persuade Him to cast 
Himself down from the temple, and thus make it 
manifest in full view of the whole city of Jerusalem 
that He is the true High-priest and spiritual 
Prince of Israel. But the Lord again repels the 
tempter with the Word of God. Not by pomp 
and outward glory, gratifying the lust of the eye, 
does He purpose to reveal and consummate His 
priestly office, but in humility and suffering. His 
course is not to be a lofty and magnificent passage 
through the air, but a lowly walk upon the earth. 
As the Lamb of God, He will bear the sin of the 
world, and His priestly office will be exercised as 
He hangs upon the cross, the most despised and 
forsaken of men. Thus, also, the true Christian 
passes through the world quietly and without 
ostentation. The path of life leads not through 
outward splendor, but through suffering ; not 
through worldly glory, but through humility and 
shame. Yet how often we wander from the 
narrow way, allured by the lust of the eyes into 
forbidden paths ! 

4. Ferses 8-11. The third temptation is ad- 
dressed to the Lord as King. Satan presents to 
His view a gorgeous picture of universal dominion 
and glory. Without effort, without cross or 
suffering, ' Christ may become a king, honored by 
the whole world. The devil here offers what he 



38 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

does not really have to give, and demands in 
return the homage which belongs to God alone. 
Thus Satan is always alluring men. by deceptive 
appearances. All the pleasures which he promises 
end in eternal sufferings ; all the glory which now 
blinds the eye, all the honor and power which he 
offers, are transformed into lamentation, woe, and 
everlasting perdition. The Lord does not suffer 
Himself to be thus led into folly. He does not 
seek honor before the world — does not in pride of 
heart desire a kingdom glittering with earthly 
splendor. His kingdom is not of this world. The 
crown which He seeks is a crown of thorns ; the 
throne which he desires to ascend is the cross. 
Through suffering and death will He rise to the 
glory which belongs to Him, and possess the 
kingdom which has been given to Him. 

Get thee hence, Satan " — at the word of com- 
mand the devil departs for a season. From that 
time forward he wages his warfare against the 
Lord indirectly, through the hearts of men, 
through the children of unbelief, through the 
scribes and Pharisees, until he returns in person 
to the assault in Gethsemane and on Golgotha, 
where Jesus at length crushes the head of the old 
serpent. Like Jesus, we should sternly command 
Satan to leave us when he seeks to allure us into 
the ways of worldly pride. But oh ! how often 
are we entangled in the toils of this snare ! How 
many become the devil's prey through pride and 
ambition ! In the hour of temptation, cry in the 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



39 



name of the Lord, ''Get thee hence, Satan,'' and 
he will be compelled to leave thee m peace. The 
Lord has despoiled him of his power and brought 
his works to naught. If we beheve, the A^ctory of 
Christ becomes onr victory. 

5. The Lord was tempted like as we, yet without 
sin. He became a true man, and, therefore, like 
all flesh, experienced temptation and trials. Just 
in this lies our consolation. Because He is both 
true God and true man, He is our High-priest, 
and the proper Mediator between God and man. 
Had He been God only, how could He have taken 
upon Himself our sins, and, dying for us, have 
rendered an eternally valid offering for our sins ? 
Had He been man only, how could He, then, have 
redeemed us ? Only the God-man, Jesus Christ, 
can be our merciful High-priest, and in this 
temptation in the wilderness His twofold nature 
is clearly manifest. Thus has Christ, the Second 
Adam, repaired the damage brought upon the 
world by the first Adam. The first Adam was 
tempted in Paradise, and fell away from God. By 
this means sin and death entered the world, and 
our human nature became utterly corrupt. Thus 
all flesh fell under the power of Satan, the victor 
in that conflict, with whom all sin originates. 
Christ, the Second Adam (1 Cor. xv. 45 ; Rom. v. 
14, 15), came to blot out sin and to deliver us from 
death and the power of Satan. His victory over 
the tempter inures to our benefit, for He endured 
the temptation for us, and for tis gained the vie- 



40 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



tory, just as all the deeds and sufferings of His 
earthly life were for our good. May He enable us 
to share the fruits of His conflict and His victory. 



PEAYER. 

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, Thou seest that 
the great adversary, the devil, who spared not Thine own 
dear Son, is ever pursuing and tempting us poor sinful 
creatures, who have no power to resist him. 0, do Thou 
strengthen us and keep us, lest he allure us to destruction. 
Be Thou ever with us, to guard us against the temptations 
of the world, the flesh, and the devil, that we may not 
fall into unbelief, despair, or open sins ; and if temptation 
comes to us, give us courage to resist it manfully and 
power to gain a glorious victory. Endue us with the 
strength of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may overcome all 
evil, and that sin may have no power over us. Hear 
Thou our prayer, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thine own 
dear Son, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. 



Monday. Christ became Man and Our Brother^ 
in order that He might be a True High-priest before 
God to Atone for the Sin of the World. 

6. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that 
thou art mindful of him ? or the son of man, that thou visitest 
him ? 

7. Thou madest him a little lower than the angels ; thou 
crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over 
the works of thy hands : 

8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For 
in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing M«/ is 
not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under 
him. 

9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the 
angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and 
honour ; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every 
man. 

10. For it became him, for whom a7'e all things, and by whom 
are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the 
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

11. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified 
are SiU of one : for which cause he is not ashamed to call them 
brethren, 

12. Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the 
midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 

13. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold 
I and the children which God hath given me. 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



41 



14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and 
blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same ; that 
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, 
that is, the devil ; . 

15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their 
lifetime subject to bondage. 

16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels ; but he 
took on him the seed of Abraham. 

17. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like 
unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high 
priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the 
sins of the people. 

18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is 
able to succour them that are tempted (Heb. ii. 6-18). 

1. Verges 6-10. Our lesson to-day sets before 
■QS three great truths which we ought to bear es- 
pecially in mind during the solemn weeks of the 
Passion Season. It reminds us, in the first place, 
how Christ through His deep humiliation, suffer- 
ings, and death has entered upon a state of honor, 
glory, and everlasting dominion, and has thereby 
become the Captain of our salvation. He, the 
eternal Son of God, Lord of all the angels, conde- 
scended to so lowly a condition and became man, 
in order that He might for us suffer death, which 
is the wages of sin, and, faithful to the end, in 
perfect obedience to God, offer Himself up in sac- 

■ rifice for us poor sinful men. Only as true man 
could He take our sins and their penalty upon 

^ Himself. But His sacrifice and atonement can be 
sufficient only because He is at the same time true 
God. Thus has He become the Captain of our 
salvation, and, as He Himself has passed through 
suffering into glory, so will He lead us also to 
glory if we in true faith become one with Him. 

2. Verses 11-15. We are here reminded, in the 
second place, that Jesus Christ was not ashamed 



42 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

to be called our Brother, and to call us His 
brethren and His children, having taken upon Him- 
self flesh and blood in order to deliver us from 
death and the power of the devil. Through the 
seduction of Satan sin entered the world, and death 
by sin. In our natural state we are all in sin, and 
in consequence subject to death and held in the 
power and service of Satan. He has a right to us, 
for sin has brought us under his dominion. The 
fear of death rests upon us, and we have reason to 
fear, since we deserve to die. But now Christ 
has appeared, taken upon Himself our flesh and 
blood, offered Himself as a holy surety in our 
behalf — as the innocent One, taken upon Him- 
self our guilt, and surrendered Himself to death 
for us. We need therefore no longer fear, if we 
but live in Him. We have thus in Christ deliv- 
erance from death and the fear of death, and Satan 
has no longer power over us, because our sins have 
been blotted out through Christ, and we have be- 
come His property. But only he can understand 
this work of deliverance who has first believed it 
and experienced it in his own soul. Talking about 
it and seeking to explain it can therefore avail but 
little. Only simple faith can appropriate the 
blessing. 

3. Verses 16-18. The third truth here taught is 
that Jesus Christ has become entirely like us,, has 
by suffering and struggling with us thoroughly 
experienced our human misery, and has even en- 
dured temptation at the hands of him who was a 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



43 



tempter and a murderer from the beginning — all 
in order that He might have feelings of mercy for 
us and be a true and faithful High-priest before 
God. He Himself experienced our misery. 
Moved by His unfathomable love, He willingly 
took upon Himself poverty, hunger, persecution, 
mockery and scorn, agony and wounds, the cross 
and death. He knows all the misery which we 
now endure. To His divine pity is added His 
human sympathy ; and since He, as a true man, 
can experience with us all our woe and want and 
our temptations. He has become a faithful High- 
priest, who not alone once offered Himself up upon 
the cross, but who yet continually pleads for us in 
His eternal glory. We, upon our part, may now 
draw near to Him with our great burdens and our 
little trials, since we know that He understands 
all the troubles that oppress us, since He took 
them all upon Himself when He became man 
for us. 

PRAYEK. 

Lord Jesus, our Eternal King and High-priest, who 
sittest at the right hand of the Almighty Father, at 
whose name every knee shall bow in heaven, upon earth, 
and under the earth. We adore Thee in Thy glorious 
majesty and magnify Thy grace and Thine unfailing 
mercy. Thou didst for our -sakes come down into the 
misery of this world, didst take upon Thee the form of a 
servant, wast made like unto other men in order that Thou 
mightest make us the children of God. We thank T'hee 
for Thy deep humiliation, for Thy shame and sufferings, 
for Thine obedience unto death. Do Thou make us ever 
mindful of all that Thou hast done for us. For the sake 
of Thy deep humiliation, forsake us not in our distress 
and misery. Abide with us and with all Thy servants, 
according to Thy blessed promise, alway, even to the end 



44 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



of the world. Take not from us the sweet consolation of 
Thy presence, and may we daily rejoice in Thy love. We 
are Thine own, for Thou hast redeemed us by Thy precious 
blood shed for us upon the cross. Lift not Thy hand of 
blessing from us, but be Thou our Advocate before Thy 
Father's throne, according to Thy Word. Bless us, Thy 
people, evermore as our faithful and eternal High-priest. 
Bestow upon us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may be purified 
from dead works, that we may walk in Thy footsteps, and 
our whole lives be a continual sacrifice of praise. Amen. 

Tuesday. Christy Our High-priest^ is Tempted as 
We are. 

14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed 
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our 
profession. 

15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched 
with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted 
like as we are^ yet without sin. 

16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that 
we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

1. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for 
men in things pertaintfig to God, that he may offer both gifts and 
sacrifices for sins : 

2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that 
are out of the way ; for that he himself also is compassed with 
infirmity. 

3. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for 
himself, to offer for sins. 

4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is 
called of God, as was Aaron. 

5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest ; 
but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I 
begotten thee. 

6. As he saith also in another />/iz<:^, Thou art a priest for ever 
after the order of Melchisedec. 

7. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers 
and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was 
able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared ; 

8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things 
which he suffered ; 

9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal 
salvation unto all them that obey him ; 

10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec 
(Heb. iv. 14 — V. 10). 

1. Chapjter 4-, verse 14^ — Chapter 5, verse 3, Here, 
as in our last Sunday's Gospel lesson, we see both 
the Saviour's humiliation and His glory. Jesus 
Christ is a great High-priest, the Son of God from 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



45 



all eternity. After His incarnation He returned 
again, at His ascension, to His original glory. But 
He condescended to the deepest humiliation and 
was tempted like as we are, yet without sin. We 
are tempted by sin and to sin, for all temptation 
from without, from Satan and the world, finds 
support and help in the sin which dwells within 
us. He who was without sin repelled every 
temptation of Satan and the world ; and as He, 
the Sinless One, could not be tempted by sin, so 
did He triumphantly repulse every temptation to 
sin. The high-priest in ancient Israel was selected 
from among men, and was therefore subject to the 
same weaknesses as others, involved in the same 
sin and misery. The sense of his own need and 
sin must have impelled him to the greater dili- 
gence and fidelity in discharging the duties of his 
office — sacrifice and prayer — that he might be a 
real mediator between a holy God and the sinful 
people. Thus also Christ became man and our 
Brother, and since He has thus borne our misery 
and has even Himself been tempted. He knows 
the feelings of the tempted soul and sympathizes 
with us in our weakness. But this deep humilia- 
tion of Christ and His holy sympathy should 
inspire us wdth joyful boldness to approach the 
throne of God, which has, through Christ, become 
for us a throne of grace. The Son of God, who 
has become our Brother, whose heart throbs with 
holy sympathy for us, appears as our Advocate, 
and for His sake we obtain mercy and grace. 



46 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

which we poor sinners always sorely need, espe- 
cially in our hours of temptation, and, above all, 
when our last hour draws nigh. 

2. Verses Jf^-lO. God Himself appointed and 
ordained His only-begotten Son to be a merciful 
High-priest, and Jesus Christ willingly assumed 
the office. It was no slight undertaking. He 
offered up ^'prayers and supplications, with strong 
crying and tears" — so heavy lay the sins of the 
world upon Him, such pain did the work of our 
redemption cost Him. In Him was fulfilled the 
word of prophecy : Thou hast made me to serve 
with thy sins ; thou hast wearied me with thine 
iniquities" (Isa. xliii. 24). He who is Lord over 
all and God's own Son surrenders Himself in com- 
plete obedience in life and in suffering. He ful- 
filled the Law /or us^ and /or us suffered death. 
He is now made perfect — i. e., freed from all the 
self-assumed burden of vicarious suffering. He has 
entered into glory, and has thus become also for us 
the author of salvation, if we but surrender our- 
selves to Him in holy obedience. God has Himself 
pronounced Him a High-priest after the order of 
Melchizedek. Such is He to be for us all — at once 
a King and a Priest. He has redeemed us by the 
sacrifice of Himself, and He reigns over us accord- 
ing to His grace in His eternal kingdom. He is 
the true Melchizedek — King of righteousness " — 
for He has Himself become our righteousness. As 
Melchizedek was king at Salem-^, 6. , a ^ ^ king of 
peace" — so Christ is the true King of Peace, who 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



47 



has made peace between God and us, in that He, 
true God and true man, has become our Mediator 
and faithful High-priest. To Him be glory to all 
eternity. 

PKAYER. 

Our merciful and loving Saviour, we praise Thee that 
Thou didst so pity us in our weakness and sinfulness that 
Thou didst come from heaven to save us. Thou wast 
made in the hkeness of men, and wast not ashamed to 
call us Thy brethren. For us didst Thou bear the as- 
saults of temptation, that Thou mightest sympathize with 
us when our faith is sorely tried and when the wiles of 
Satan almost overcome us. 0, do Thou help us to resist 
the devil, that he may flee from us. May we live so close 
to Thee that the evil one may have no power over us. 
May Thy Word dwell in us richly, and be to us as a shield 
for our defense, and as a two-edged sword with which to 
smite the tempter as Thou didst smite him in the wilder- 
ness. O, Thou mighty Deliverer, be Thou ever near us. 
Keep us, lest we be betrayed into sin. Thou hast all 
power, and Thou hast overcome the tempter. Make us 
( on querors through Thee. Amen. 

Wednesday. Passion History, Part I. Christ 
Anointed by Mary in Bethany. 

Six days before the Passover came Jesus to Bethany, where 
Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the 
dead. There they made him a supper in the house of Simon the 
Leper ; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of them that 
sat at the table with him. There came to him Mary, having an 
alabaster box of pure ointment of spikenard, very costly; and 
she brake the box and poured the ointment on the head of Jesus 
as he sat at meat, and anointed his feet and wiped them with her 
hair; and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. 
Then saith one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who 
afterward betrayed him, Why was not this ointment sold for 
three hundred pence and given to the poor ? Some of the other 
disciples also agreed with him, murmured against Mary, and 
said. To what purpose is this waste ? But this said Judas, not 
that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and 
had the bag and bare what was put therein. When Jesus saw it, 
he said to them. Let her alone. Why trouble ye her ? She hath 
wrought a good work on me. Ye have the poor with you always, 
and whensoever ye will ye may do them good : but'me ye have 
not always. She hath done what she could : for in that she hath 
poured this ointment on my body, she is come aforehand to 



48 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Where- 
soever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world this also 
that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her 
(Matt. xxvi. 6-13— Mark xiv. 3-9— John xii. 1-8). 

1. The time of suffering is now come. The 
Lord has fulfilled His prophetic office. The work 
of His priesthood now begins. The eternal High- 
priest goes to the altar of the cross, to accomplish 
the sacrifice. The Lamb of God that beareth the 
sin of the world is led to the slaughter. Eternal 
love gives itself away. Life turns toward death. 
May the Lord subdue our souls into perfect silence, 
and fill us with holy reverence, as we celebrate the 
time of His bitter sufferings. May He grant us 
comfort from His pain, peace from His conflict, 
healing from His wounds, life from His death. 
May He anoint us with the oil of the Holy Spirit 
and bless to our hearts this holy Passion Season, 
that we may regard the sacrifice on Golgotha with 
real penitence and true faith and appropriate to 
ourselves its power. 

2. We find the Lord in Bethany, in the house 
of Simon the leper. He was no doubt one of the 
many sick whom Jesus had restored to health. 
Lazarus was present, a living testimony to the 
grace and glory of the Lord. Martha entered and 
served as was her wont. Mary was not absent 
from the little circle. Wherever the Lord goes, 
there gather always the souls that love Him. In 
His Word He now draws near to us. Let us will- 
ingly and joyfully welcome Him to our midst. 

3. Mary, whom we have once found seated 



FIRST WEEK IX LENT. 



49 



humbly at the Master's feet, is near the Lord 
whom her soul loves. But a short time ago He 
called Lazarus from the dead, and thus gave back 
to her her beloved brother. Her heart swells in 
holy love. She longs to give expression in some 
way to the emotion struggling v/ithin her. Words 
seem to her too poor and cold. She would fain 
bring an offering — announce to Him whom her 
soul loves, by some distinct sign, the entire sur- 
render of her heart to Him. Such is the nature 
of love. It longs to give — to make sacrifices. 
Thus prompted, Mary brings a box of pure and 
very precious ointment of spikenard— doubtless a 
treasure long carefully guarded. She wishes to 
give Him the very best and noblest of her posses- 
sions. As she breaks the vessel and pours the 
costly ointment upon the head and feet of the 
Lord, she lavishes upon Him also the love of her 
full heart, pure and precious as the ointment it- 
self. The house — yes, the whole world — was filled 
with the odor of the ointment. Throughout the 
world the heartfelt, simple, and entire devotion of 
Mary to her Lord is spoken of, and who does not 
bless her for the act of that hour ? This narrative 
of Mary's love has been preserved as an example 
of heartfelt, humble and devoted affection. We 
should, like Mary, lavish upon Jesus the pure and 
precious ointment of sincere love, that the odor of 
it may fill our home and our whole life. 

4. The disciples did not understand the love of 
Mary, and some even murmured at her wasteful- 
4 



50 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



ness. But the Lord, who, in more than human 
love, gave Himself freely for the world, and suf- 
fered the sacred vessel of His body to be broken, 
so that heaven and earth are filled with the sweet 
odor of His love — the Lord understands the heart 
of Mary. ''She hath done w^hat she could — 
better testimony than this could not be given. 
The Saviour has done what none ot us can do, 
what He alone had power to do. He has borne 
the sin of the world, and by His loving sacrifice 
has transformed lost and condemned men into 
blessed children of God. Of us He asks no more 
than that we shall do what we can. And what 
can we do ? We can only humbly accept His 
grace and lovingly commit ourselves to Him. All 
' that we do is really but a receiving in humility 
and faith. He gives us everything — gives us even 
holy love itself, and our love to Him is only a 
weak reflection of His love to us. 



PRAYEE. 

Lord Jesus, how great is the love wherewith Thou 
hast loved us ! May we never forget that Thou hast gone 
down even to death for us, and may Thy Ufe of sorrows 
and Thy shameful death be ever before us. Thou didst 
freely offer Thyself up for us all. We come to Thee with 
grateful hearts, and pour out before Thee the ointment of 
our love and of our heartfelt prayers. Yea, w^e give our- 
selves to Thee with all our misery. Accept Thou our 
poor offering. Comfort our souls with the benediction of 
Thy peace, and may we, by the power of Thy sufferings 
and death, be kept to everlasting joy in Thy presence 
above. Amen. 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



51 



Thursday. Passion History. Part II. The 
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and the Betrayal by 
Judas. 



On the next day much people that were come to the feast, 
when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took 
branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him, and cried, 
Hosanna ; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name 
of the lyOrd. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat 
thereon; as it is written, "Fear not, Daughter of Zion ; behold 
thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt." But the people that 
was with him, when he called Lazarus out of his grave and 
raised him from the dead, bare record of the deed. For this 
cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had 
done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among them- 
selves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing ? Behold, the world 

gone after him. ? 

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called 
the Passover. And Jesus said unto his disciples : Ye know that 
after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man 
shall be betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the 
chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people and con- 
sulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him. But 
they said, " Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among 
the people ! " And Satan entered into Judas, who was called 
Iscariot, being one of the number of the twelve. And he went 
away and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he 
might deliver him unto them, and said : " What will ye give me, 
and I will betray him unto you ? " When they heard that they 
were glad, and covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 
And he promised, and from that time he sought opportunity to 
betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude (Matt, 
xxvi. 1-5 ; 14-16 — Mark xi. 1-2 ; lo-ii — Luke xxii. 1-6— John xii. 
12-19). 



1. The Lord publicly enters Jerusalem. It is 
for the last time. He knows what is aAvaiting 
Him, and tells His disciples beforehand. Yet 
he goes up to the city. The cross does not terrify 
Him ; Gethsemane does not restrain Him. Be- 
hold what love is His, that He goes calmly on, to 
offer up His life in sacrifice. To Jerusalem He 
comes. How often had the inhabitants of this 
City of God driven Him from them, and would 
not let Him gather them under the wings of His 
grace. But He never grows weary of calling 



52 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

them, lovingly inviting them, and freely offering 
His grace. He comes yet once again, although 
He well knows that even His last loving plea will 
be in vain. How this reveals to ns the Saviour's 
heart, and makes us realize the gracious depths of 
His love, which is still continually being mani- 
fested in His dealings with us. 0, let Him enter 
thy heart and house, while He yet comes to thee 
in Word and Sacrament, proclaiming grace and 
peace ! Do not repel from thee this meek King. 
May the season of His pain and sufferings soften 
hard hearts and open their closed doors, that He 
may enter them, bearing with Him the benedic- 
tion of His peace. 

2. Wherever Christ comes, th^ secrets of men's 
hearts are revealed. The multitude receives Him 
with joyous hosannas ; but He hears already in 
spirit their cry, Crucify, crucify ! Their love will 
so soon have lost its fervor, their praises so quickly 
die away ! Such is the way of the world. And 
are not our own hearts often cold and fickle in 
their love to Him, whose love for us Avas faithful 
unto death ? 0, how often we forget His love, and 
our hearts, that should glow with the flame of 
ardent love for Him, are often so poor and empty ! 
May the Lord, in this season when true love is so 
touchingly revealed, enkindle in our souls the 
flame of a love sincere and holy. 

3. While love is thus impelling the Lord onward 
to death, in order that we might have life, hatred 
assembles the high-priests and scribes for the per- 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



53 



fecting of their murderous designs, and Judas sells 
his Saviour for thirty pieces of silver. This aAvful 
crime is being constantly repeated. The world 
,hates its Saviour, and its hatred grows the more 
intense the more the glory of His love is revealed. 
Wherever the Lord makes His presence known, 
there Satan also bestirs himself. Wherever the 
kingdom of light extends its borders, there the 
kingdom of darkness rises against it. But let the 
treachery of Judas lead us all to earnest self-ex- 
amination. 0, how many betray the Lord for less 
than thirty pieces of silver — for an hour of sinful 
pleasure, for a little of the world's wretched honors, 
for the sake of some bosom sin ! Is there no price 
for which you would sell Jesus ? Blessed is he 
who can say from his heart : ' ' Whom have I in 
heaven but Thee, and there is none upon earth 
that I desire beside Thee." We may always have 
Him, and it is enough for us if we have nothing 
but Him, for in Him we have all things that we 
need. He is near us to-day, and wishes to enter 
our hearts with the rich gifts of His grace. We 
bid Thee welcome, noble Heavenly Guest. 

PRAYER. 

Blessed be Thy name, Lord Jesus, that Thou didst 
come from heaven through Thy sufferings and death to 
establish on earth Thy kingdom of peace and grace. 
0, holy and eternal King ! we welcome Thee wdth rejoic- 
ing. The cross with all its agony and shame awaits Thee, 
but Thou dost not shrink. Thou takest the awful burden 
willingly upon Thee, for only thus canst Thou deliver us 
from everlasting death. As Thou didst enter Jerusalem 
meek and lowly, so dost Thou come to us in this sacred 



54 MEDITATIONS FOK THE PASSION SEASON. 



season. Grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may receive 
Thee in true faith and with sincere hosannas. 0, come 
to us, Lord Jesus, and stay Thou ever near, that we may 
not be ensnared by Satan, nor led in an evil hour, like 
Judas, to betray Thee. AVe have so often forgotten Thee, 
and been willing to surrender Thee for the riches and 
pleasures of the world. But behold us in mercy as we 
now draw near to Thee with sorrow for our sins, and 
plead for Thy mercy. 0, Thou holy King, look graciously 
upon us, and shed abroad Thy peace in our hearts. Amen. 

Friday. Passion History. Part III. The Wash- 
ing of the Disciples^ Feet. 



Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his 
hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the 
Father, having loved his own Which were in the world, he loved 
them unto the end. Then came the first day of unleavened bread, 
when the pa&sover lamb must be killed. And he sent Peter and 
John, saying, Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat. 
And they said unto him. Where wilt thou that we prepare ? And 
he said unto them, Go into the city, and there shall a man meet 
you, bearing a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house 
where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the 
house. The Master saith unto thee, My time is at hand : I will 
keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples. Where is. the 
guestchamber in which I may eat the Passover ? And he shall 
show you a large upper room furnished : there make ready. And 
the disciples went forth and came into the city, and found as he 
had said unto them : and they made ready the Passover. And in 
the evening he cometh with the twelve. 

When now the supper had been prepared (and the disciples 
were about to sit down to eat) there arose a strife among them, 
which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said 
unto them. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them ; 
and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 
But ye shall not be so : but he that is greatest among you, let him 
be as the younger ; and he that is chief as he that doth serve. 
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth ? 
Is not he that sitteth at meat ? But I am among you as he that 
serveth. And now, supper being ended, the devil having put into 
the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him ; Jesus, 
knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and 
that he was come from God and went to God, riseth from sup- 
per, and laid aside his garments ; and took a towel, and girded 
himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to 
wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel where- 
with he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter 
saith unto him. Lord, dost thou wash my feet ? Jesus answered 
and said unto him. What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou 
shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never 
wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast 
no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him. Lord, not my feet 
only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him. He that 
is washed needeth not save to wash kzs feet, but is clean every 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



55 



whit : and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should 
betray him ; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he 
had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set 
down again, he said unto them. Know ye what I have done to you ? 
Ye call me Master and Lord : and ye say well ; for so I am. If I 
then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also 
ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an 
example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, 
I say unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord ; neither 
he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these 
things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I 
know whom I have chosen : but that the scripture may be ful- 
filled. He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against 
me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to 
pass, ye may believe that I am ke. Verily, verily, I say unto you. 
He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me ; and he that 
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 

But ye are they which have continued with me in my tempta- 
tions, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath 
appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my 
kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel 
(Matt. xxvi. 17-20 — Mark xiv. 12-17 — Luke xxii. 7-14; 24-30— John 
xiii. 1-20). 



1. The Lord loved His disciples ^^unto the 
end.'' Thus does He love us even unto death, 
and, will love us while we live on earth, and to 
all eternity. Yet once again He lovingly desires ' 
to eat the Passover Lamb with His disciples. In 
making the appointment with them. He acknowl- 
edges His subjection to the Law', and yet in His 
wonderful way permits us to catch ghmpses of His 
omniscience and divine glory. 

2. As the disciples, in the pride of their hearts, 
engage in a controversy as to who of them shall 
be regarded as the greatest, He gives them an 
example of the deepest humility. He "into 
whose hands the Father had given all things 
washes with these hands, not the hands, but the 
feet of the disciples" (Augustine). "John the 
Baptist counted himself unworthy to loosen the 
latchet of the Saviour's shoes; and this Jesus 



56 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

accounts Himself not too exalted — not only to 
loosen the shoe-latchet — but to wash the feet of the 
disciples. Who would have ventured to behave 
it, if the Lord had not actually done it ? Verily 
it could never have entered into the heart of man 
to enact such a living parable ! (Besser). 

3. This act of the Lord is both a symbol and a 
pattern. It is symbolical of the spiritual cleansing 
which He graciously bestows upon us. ' ' He that 
is washed needeth not save to wash his feet." 

In holy Baptism, washed is fully cleansed. But 
as we afterward live in the midst of the affairs of 
this world, we tread upon the earth with our feet. 
The human feelings and emotions, without which 
we cannot live in this mortal state, are, so to 
speak, the feet to which the dust of the earth 
cleaves, and we are thereby so defiled, that if we 
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and 
the truth is not in us. Daily therefore doth He, 
who is our Advocate with the Father and pleads 
for us, wash our feet ; and daily do we confess 
that we need to have our feet washed, as we pray : 
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 
trespass against us. And if we thus confess. He 
who washed His disciples' feet is faithful and just 
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all 
unrighteousness" (Augustine). ' ^ What the wash- 
ing of the disciples' feet was before the institution 
of the Lord's Supper, that is confession before 
partaking of the sacrament. We go to the con- 
fession and confess our sins, and as often as we 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



57 



receive the absolution, it is as though Jesus washed 
our feet which have become soiled with the dust 
of the earth" (Besser). 

4. But the washing of the disciples' feet is also 
a pattern for our imitation. ^ ' I have given you 
an example, that ye should do as I have done to 
you, ' ' says the Master. We should, if it be neces- 
sary, in holy love literally fulfill this injunction, 
and not be ashamed nor hesitate to actually wash 
the feet of those who may stand in need of such 
service. But especially should we live according 
to the Saviour's example in the spiritual sense, 
serving our neighbor in Christian humility and 
love, cheerfully forgiving him, and in all things 
seeking the Lord's honor, not our own, and our 
neighbor's profit and salvation. We should 
minister to one another as Jesus Christ has min- 
istered to us. To serve with complete devotion 
is, in the kingdom of Christ, to reign. If ye 
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." 



PRAYER. 

O, Lord Jesus, our God and Saviour ! Thou didst leave 
the glory which Thou hadst with the Father before the 
world w^as and come to earth, not to be ministered unto, 
but to minister, and by Thy bitter sufferings and death to 
deliver us poor, helpless sinners. Thou didst take upon 
Thee the form of a servant in order to transform us into 
Thy glorious likeness. Thou didst become poor, that we 
might be made rich. Thou didst go down to death that 
we might rise to everlasting life. O, Thou meek and 
lowly Jesus ! adorn our souls with Thy lowliness and 
meekness, that our lives may be pleasing in Thy sight. 
Shed abroad Thy love in our hearts, that we may serve 
one another in true humility, as Thou didst wash the feet 



58 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



of Thy disciples. Wash us in Thy precious blood. Thou 
hast granted us in Thy Holy Baptism the washing of regen- 
eration, but alas ! we have not remained clean, but our 
lives have been defiled by daily sins. But daily dost Thou 
also forgive us our sins. We come to Thee therefore in deep 
humility and pray Thee to cleanse us from all unrighteous- 
ness. 0, do Thou sanctify us more and more, that we 
may w^alk in Thy light on earth, and at last, cleansed from 
all pollution, enter through the gates into Thy heavenly 
kingdom. Amen. 

Saturday. We should Appropriate the Grace of 
God so Dearly Won for Us and Live with Christ. 

1. We then, as workers together wtih ktm, beseech you also that 
ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 

2. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the 
day of salvation have I succoured thee : behold, now is the ac- 
cepted time ; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 

3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not 
blamed : 

4. But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, 
in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 

5. In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watch- 
ings, in fastings ; 

6. By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by 
the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 

7. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of 
righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 

8. By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report : as 
deceivers, and true ; 

9. As unknown, and yet well known ; as dying, and, behold, we 
live ; as chastened, and not killed ; 

10. As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many 
rich ; as having nothing, and_>'^/ possessing all things (2 Cor. vi. 
i-io). 

1. Vei^ses 1-2. Our Gospel lesson presents to ns 
the Lord as conqueror in the hour of temptation. 
For us the eternal Son of God descended so low as 
even to submit to the assaults of temptation. For 
us He overcame Satan, that we through Him 
might gain the victory over the great enemy. For 
us He passed through suffering and death and 
such deep humiliation. Thus He won for us 
the grace of God, having become like us 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



59 



and taken upon Himself our iniquity and 
sin. This dearly won grace He is continually 
offering to us in His Word and sacraments. 
The announcement of the apostle applies there- 
fore to our own day : ' ' Behold now is the accepted 
time ; behold now is the day of salvation." But 
we should also accept the grace which Christ has 
so dearly won for us and not receive it in vain. 
How many utterly reject this grace, refusing to 
hear the Word of God and having no desire for 
the holy sacraments ! And how many receive it in 
vain ! We receive the grace of God in vain when 
we hear His Word, but do not repent nor bring 
forth fruits meet for repentance ; when, having 
been cleansed by the water of Holy Baptism, we 
wallow again in the mire of sin ; when we par- 
take of the body and blood of Christ, but yet do 
not suffer ourselves to be controlled by His life. 
Remember how dearly the grace of God was won 
for thee, and receive and cherish it in true faith 
that thou may est be saved at last. 

2. Verses S-7. As Christ humbled Himself for 
us, and endured poverty, want, distress, persecu- 
tion and temptation, so should we, following His 
example, willingly bear all manner of affliction 
and trial. The servants and followers of Christ 
cannot be exempted from want, affliction, perse- 
cution, toil, watchings and fastings. Satan, who 
tempted the Lord Himself, and the world around 
us and within us, will leave us no rest. The 
Christian's life is therefore a continuous conflict. 



60 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSIOX SEASON. 



Amid all allurements from without and tempta- 
tions from vrithin we should be steadfast and of 
good cheer, and manifest in purity, knowledge, 
longsuffering, kindness, love, and truth the holy 
life of Christ that is to reign within us. The Holy 
Spirit is ready to strengthen us, and the power 
of God will become mighty in us, so that we 
shall be enabled to wage a good warfare to the 
right and to the left, and gain the victory as Christ 
in His sufferings won the victory and overcame 
the world. 

3. Verses 8-11. If we have connnitted ourselves 
to Christ in true faith, it should not seem strange 
to us that we are called upon to bear His image in 
the whole tenor of our lives. In Him we see 
glory and humility united ; so should it be in His 
followers. As He, though held in honor by His 
Father and all the angelic host, endured shame on 
earth, so must His followers press on their way 
through honor and shame, through evil report and 
good report. As He, who is the way, the truth 
and the life, was reviled on earth as a deceiver, so 
must His followers, though sincere and truthful, 
be called deceivers. As He, well-known in the 
presence of God and the angels, wandered on earth 
poor and unknown, so fares it often with those 
who follow in His footsteps. The world knows 
them not, but their names are written in heaven. 
As He dying yet lives, so have His followers 
passed from death unto life ; they die daily to sin 
and the world, and live in God. Faithful Chris- 



FIRST WEEK IN LENT. 



61 



tians are chastened by God, for He chastens most 
severely the children whom He loves the best ; but 
the chastening leads to life, not death. With Christ, 
believers mourn under the pressure of the sins 
and sorrows of life, and yet are they ever rejoicing 
in faith and hope. As Christ for our sakes became 
poor, that we through His poverty might be made 
rich, so are His followers also poor and counted as 
having nothing ; and yet through Him they are 
rich, possessors of all glory and grace, and make 
many rich, who accept their testimony of Christ 
and receive not His grace in vain. Thus are 
Christians, both in glory and in humility, a copy 
of Christ, their great Pattern. After their Passion 
Season on the earth come the blessed Easter morn- 
ing and a joyful eternity with the Lord. In this 
may we be partakers through His grace. 

PEAYER. 

God, our Father in Heaven, we praise Thee for the 
wonderful love wherewith Thou hast loved us. We are 
not worthy of the least of Thy mercies ; but though we 
have daily grieved Thee by our sins, Thou hast continued 
to bless us and hast not punished us according to our 
iniquities. AVe bless Thy name, that when we were lost 
in sin. Thou didst lay help upon One that was mighty to 
save, and didst send Thine own dear Son to fight for us 
and deliver us. may we receive not this Thy grace in 
vain, but may we be enabled to repent of our sins and 
believe on Him wdiom Thou hast sent. 0, our blessed 
Saviour, it was our sins that brought Thee down to 
poverty and persecution, to suffering and death. Thou 
didst willingly endure it all, that Thou mightest bring us 
to God. We give ourselves to Thee. Teach us to love 
Thee with our whole heart and to follow in Thy footsteps. 
Help us to bear the trials of life with patience, looking 



62 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



ever unto Thee who art able to succor them that are 
tempted and to give us the final victory. Amen. 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 

The Lord exerts His power over the spirits of 
darkness. As He responds to the importunate 
pleading of the Canaanitish woman by delivering 
her daughter from the distress inflicted by Satan, 
so is He ever bringing relief to the victims of the 
evil one. The spirits of darkness must, however 
reluctantly, obey His voice. Thus the Saviour 
manifests His glory in the midst of His time of 
suffering. 

Sunday. Christ Heals the Daughter of the 
Canaanitish Woman. 

21. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of 
Tyre and Sidon. 

22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same 
coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, 
thoz^ son of David ; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 

23. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came 
and besought him, saying, Send her away ; for she crieth after us. 

24. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost 
sheep of the house of Israel. 

25. Then came she and worshipped him, saying. Lord, help me. 

26. But he answered and said. It is not meet to take the 
children's bread, and to cast li to dogs. 

27. And she said. Truth, Lord : yet the dogs eat of the crumbs 
which fall from their masters' table. 

28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great ts 
thy faith : be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter 
was made whole from that very hour (Matt. xv. 21-28). 

1. AVhat a delightful incident ! How cordially 
must we not all admire the Canaanitish woman, 
and bow in recognition of her rich development 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



63 



of the spirit of prayer. Her prayers and suppli- 
cations — her wresthng in prayer, persevering till 
the Lord blesses her — her faith, it is all so 
precious and so beautiful to behold. And 3^et, 
noble as this woman may be, great as is her faith 
and sincere her supplications, the study of the 
narrative will serve only in the end to glorify the 
Lord, who condescends to deal thus kindly with 
the humblest suppliant. We will therefore to-day 
dwell upon this woman's confession and humility, 
her prayer and her faith, only in order that we 
may, through them, gain a fuller vi^w of the 
glory of Him to whom all honor belongs. 

2. Verses 21 and 22. Our Saviour in his journey- 
ings came into heathen territory. He did so 
because He knew that a pious soul was there 
waiting for Him and longing for His help. He 
always seeks out those who sincerely long for 
Him. Behold, there approaches Him a woman 
of Canaan, a heathen, and cries after Him : Lord, 
Thou • Son of David, have mercy on me : my 
daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." Oh, 
what faithful mother-love ! What heart-felt inter- 
cession ! Here learn what the love of a parent is 
and what true intercession means. But observe, 
too, what a notable confession of faith ! She 
acknowledges Christ as the Lord and as the son 
of David, the promised Messiah of Israel — yea, 
and as having authority over the devil and all his 
power and cunning. Her confession thus reveals 
the glory of Him to whom it is addressed. He 



64 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

accepts the homage and permits her to attribute 
such power to Him, for all honor is His due and 
He really possesses the power ascribed. 

3. Verses 28-26. The Lord makes no response 
to the supplications of the woman. He even 
repels her, saying : ' ' I am not sent but unto the 
lost sheep of the house of Israel. ' ' But the woman 
does not cease to plead, crying, Lord, help me! " 
Even Avhen the Lord again repulses her (verse 26) 
she is not frightened away. Like Jacob, she 
wrestles with the Lord and will not let Him go, 
except He bless her. By her urgent pleading she 
makes it evident that she knows the love of Christ 
— knows that He will in the end help her, that He 
cannot do otherwise — His love compels Him to 
have compassion. Thus the persistent supplica- 
tions of the woman reveal to us in clearest light 
the glory of the Saviour's love. Yea, truly. He 
cannot do otherwise — He must help, for He is 
love. Courage, servant of Christ ! Be of good 
cheer in every time of trial. Though He may 
often for awhile forbear to help, yet at length He 
will speak the word, for He is love. Like this 
heathen woman, persevere in prayer and supplica- 
tion, and His help will come when needed. 

4. Verse 27. Great and glorious, too, is the humil- 
ity of this woman. She acknoAvledges the superior 
rights of Israel ; concedes without murmuring 
that she, as a heathen, has no just claim upon the 
Lord : but yet she trusts in His grace alone. 
She captivates our hearts entirely by her humble 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



65 



response : ^ ^ Truth, Lord : yet the dogs eat of the 
crumbs which fall from their masters' table. ' ' 
Truly, this is humihty ! Lying prostrate before 
the Lord, with no appeal to our own righteous- 
ness, but only to His mercy. What the Lord 
bestows upon thee is of grace and of grace alone ; 
thou art lost without His giace. The more humbly 
this poor woman bows before the Lord, the more 
she rests her hope alone upon His grace, the more 
clearly beam upon us the dignity and glory of 
Him, before whom the whole creation, even the 
angels of heaven, bow with reverence as profound 
as that of this poor heathen woman. 

5. Verse 28. woman, great is thy faith ! - 
said the Lord to the poor suppliant. Truly her 
faith is marvelous. Examine thyself and see if 
thou hast not need to stand abashed beside this 
poor woman and pray that the Lord may thus 
strengthen thy faith also. Her faith is great, for 
although she has seen and heard so little of the 
Lord, 3^et she firmly believes that authority and 
power have been given Him to help, and tri- 
umphantly to overcome the wiles and assaults of 
the devil. Faith is the work of the Lord alone. 
As the rays of the sun in spring-time awaken the 
sleeping earth and make it glow with fresh life, so 
the Lord, who is the true, eternal Sun, awakens 
faith and makes the hearts of those who do not 
resist His influence glow with new life. All faith 
on earth therefore redounds to the glory, not of 
the believer who exercises it, but of the Lord, from 
5 



66 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

whom alone comes every grace, even the gift of 
faith. As thou learnest the power and glory of 
the sun from the ripening fruits of the earth, so 
recognize in this woman's faith, and in all faith 
here below, the grace and glory of the Lord. 

6. The Lord really possesses the power which 
the woman in her faith attributes to Him, and by 
the help which He here grants He reveals Himself 
as Lord over the prince and kingdom of darkness. 
All the sufferings of the Lord may be traced to 
the agency of Satan ; for it is our sins that bring 
Him to shame and death, and Satan is the 
originator and cherisher of sin. Through the sin 
of the world, which comes from him as the father 
of lies, he tortures the Holy One of God, upon 
whom the sin of the world has been laid. But 
just in the midst of the humiliation thus inflicted 
upon Him, the Lord reveals His glory and His 
power over the kingdom of darkness. 

7. Just as Israel finally rejects her Saviour and 
Redeemer, and prepares to nail Him to the cross, 
this heathen woman bows the knee before Him as 
her Lord, and in reward of her faith is permitted 
to witness His act of glorious deliverance. Thus 
ever in the time of his deepest humiliation does 
the Lord show forth His divine glory. May He 
grant us His Holy Spirit, that we may in faith 
recognize His twofold nature as the God-man. 

PEAYEE. 

Our faithful Lord and Saviour ! Though Thou art 
ascended to the Father and sittest at the right hand of 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



.67 



power and majesty, Thou art not far from everyone of us. 
Thou art very near us in the hour of trouble. In all our 
sicknesses and sorrows we come to Thee, who alone canst 
heal us. 0, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon us. 
We are sorely vexed by the devil, and assailed by the 
temptations of the world. Our own hearts deceive us 
and betray us into sin. AVilt Thou not have compassion 
upon us ? We are not worthy that Thou shouldst hear 
us, but we hope in Thy mercy. Speak Thou the word, 
and we shall be made whole. Graciously hear Thou our 
prayers, and save us from eternal death by the power of 
Thy bitter sufferings and death. Help us to praise Thee 
and to serve Thee while we live on earth, and bring us at 
length to Thy glorious heavenly Kingdom. Amen. 

Monday. The Lord has Authority over the Spirits 
of Darkness, ivho Knoiv Him well. When He Com- 
mands, they must Obey. 

30. But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 

31. And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught 
them on the sabbath days. 

32. And they were astonished at his doctrine : for his word was 
with power. 

33. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit 
of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 

34. Saying, Let 2(s alone ; what have we to do with thee, thou 
Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee 
who thou art ; the holy One of God. 

35. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold Thy peace, and come 
out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, 
he came out of him, and hurt him not. 

36. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, 
saying, What a word is this ! for with authority and power he 
commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. 

37. And the fame of him went out into every place of the 
country round about. 

38. And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's 
house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever ; 
and they besought him for her. 

3g. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left 
her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 

40. Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick 
with divers diseases brought them unto him ; and he laid his 
hands on every one of them, and healed them. 

41. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, 
Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking ^hem suffered 
them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ (Luke iv. 
30-41). 

1. Verses SO-SJf,. The Lord in His free grace 
healed the daughter of the woman of Canaan who 



68 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

had been grievously vexed of the devil. He often 
in like manner for our comfort displays His power 
over evil spirits. There were in Israel at that time 
many such miserable persons possessed of evil 
spirits and under the control of the powers of 
hell. Such an one had found his way into the 
synagogue at Capernaum. They were poor, 
wretched people, made sick in body and soul by 
the influence of Satan. They were under the 
control of evil spirits, and hence were masters of 
neither their own bodies nor their souls. They 
manifest a double consciousness — the weak, sup- 
pressed consciousness of their own personality 
and the dominant consciousness of the evil spirit- 
ual power dwelling in them. Bound by the 
power of darkness, they appealed for deliverance 
with pitiable cries of anguish in ineffectual strug- 
gles against their malady and the power of Satan. 
But the evil spirits were too strong for them, and 
their subjection is manifest in their rejection of 
the proffered aid of Christ, in their distress in 
presence of His superior power. Hence the 
strange and mysterious outcries of the possessed : 
' ^ What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Naza- 
reth? Thou art come to destroy us. I know 
Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God." 
Their own consciousness draws them to Christ, 
the only One who can help in their sore distress ; 
while at the same time the foreign Satanic con- 
sciousness drives them from Him. There was an 
unusual number of these victims of demoniac 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



69 



possession during the period of our Lord's sojourn 
on earth. As He had come to destroy the works 
of the devil, it was natural that the prince of 
darkness should in the emergency send out his 
minions for a life-and-death conflict with the 
power of his Assailant. He would not willingly 
surrender the booty of which the Lord came to 
despoil him. There are not wanting similar afRic- 
tions in our own days, displaying only too plainly 
the power of darkness and of Satan. Demoniac 
agencies and dark, supernatural powers appear to 
be again peculiarly active in this age. But the 
Lord is also upon the field, and we may boldly 
sing : 

And were the world with devils filled, 

All waiting to devour us ; 
We'll still succeed, so God hath willed, — 
They cannot overpower us : 
The Prince of this world 
To hell shall be hurled : 
He seeks to alarm, 
But shall do us no harm ; 
The smallest word can fell him. 

2. Verses 35-4.1, We have no cause to fear the 
might of the powers of darkness if we stand firm 
in our faith upon Him who has destroyed the 
works of the devil. Even here He displays His 
glory ; He speaks with authority and power to the 
unclean spirits and they depart. We have only 
to implore His aid ; He is well able to protect and 
save us. But our faith must be genuine and our 
prayers earnest, as those of the woman of Canaan ; 



70: MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



for the power of Satan is great. Forgetting this, 
we too often neglect to pray as we should for his 
overthrow and the destruction of his hellish 
kingdom. 

3. As the devils were driven out by Jesus, they 
cried aloud and said : * " Thou art Christ, the 
Son of God." They knew Him and recognized 
His glory, and their confession was the same as 
that of Peter : " Thou art the Christ, the Son of 
the living God.'* But there is this infinite differ- 
ence : Peter believes on the Lord and His Grace, 
and the Lord pronounces him l:)lessed : the devils 
do not believe and the Lord therefore rebukes them, 
and they are accursed forever. It is not knowledge 
that saves, but faith ; and only a confession spring- 
ing from faith can be well-pleasing to God. The 
confession of the devils is still upon the lips of 
many, but few hearts enshrine the faith of Peter. 

PEAYER. 

Christ. Then Son of God ! All power is given unto 
Thee in heaven and on earth. Even the devils must 
obey Thee. AVe bless Thy name that Thou didst come 
to earth to destroy the works of the devil and deliver us 
poor, sinftil mt^n. who are by nature bound down under 
his power. Lord. Thou knowest that we are too weak 
to resist the evil that dwells in our own hearts — too weak 
to overcome the temptations that assail tis from without. 
Have compassion upon us. By Thy bitter conflict, by 
Thy sufferings and death. Thou hast gained the victory 
for us. Let not sin again have dominion OA'er us. Keep 
us by Thy power and help us to walk at liberty, and to 
serve Thee in holiness until Satan himself shall have been 
put under Thy feet and Thou shalt reign among Thy 
saints forever in Thy heavenly glory. Amen. 



I 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



71 



Tuesday. Jesus Displays His Power over Evil 
Spirits in Delivering the Demoniac in the Country of 
the Gadarenes. 

26. And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is 
over against Galilee. 

27. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the 
city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no 
clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 

28. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, 
and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, 
thou Son of God most high ? I beseech thee, torment me not. 

29. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of 
the man. For oftentimes it had caught him : and he was kept 
bound with chains and in fetters ; and he brake the bands, and 
was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) 

30. And Jesus asked him, saying. What is thy name? And he 
said, Legion : because many devils were entered into him. 

31. And they besought him that he would not command them 
to go out into the deep. 

32. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the 
mountain : and they besought him that he would suffer them to 
enter into them. And he suffered them. 

33. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the 
swine : and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the 
lake, and were choked. 

34. When they that fed fhem saw what was done, they fled, and 
went and told in the city and in the country. 

35. Then they went out to see what was done ; and came to 
Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, 
sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind : and 
they were afraid. 

36. They also which saw zV told them by what means he that 
was possessed of the devils was healed. 

37. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes 
round about besought him to depart from them ; for they were 
taken with great fear : and he went up into the ship, and returned 
back again. 

38. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed 
besought him that he might be with him : but Jesus sent him 
away, saying, 

39. Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God 
hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published 
throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto 
him (Luk« viii. 26-39). 

1. Verses 26-29. A demoniac meets the Lord 
in the country of the Gadarenes. There were in 
those days many in such miserable state. Their 
condition reveals the awful power of darkness and 
of Satan, and should incite us to contend with 
unswerving fidelity in prayer and faith against 



72 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

these gloomy powers. He who answered the 
prayer of the woman of Canaan w411 not despise 
our petitions. In Christ we shall gain the victory, 
for He is the Lord who commands even the evil 
spirits and whom they, however unw^illingly, 
obey. At His name every knee shall yet bow 
and every tongue confess that He is Lord. 

2. Verses SOS 3. The devils besought the Lord 
that He should not bid them to go ^ ' out into the 
deep," to their ow^n place in the abyss of hell. 
They have so much pleasure in working ruin that 
they desire at least to be allowed to enter swine if 
not permitted to destroy men. The Lord grants 
their petition, and they hasten away upon their 
errand of destruction. But why does the Lord 
permit them thus to gratify their evil lust ? ^ ^ First, 
that the restored man might see from what diabolic 
power he had been delivered and what would 
have been his end if the Lord had left him in the 
power of the devils that possessed him. Second, 
that all who should hear of the strange occurrence 
(and thus we also) might recognize the power of 
the devil and his angels, and not say that the exist- 
ence of such powder is only a dream of the imagi- 
nation — for it was certainly not simply imagination 
that led the swine to plunge into the sea: Thirdly 
and chiefly, the Lord permitted the devils thus to 
have their way in order that the Gadarenes might 
be brought to reflection, and led to decide for 
themselves whether they thought the more of the 
Lord Jesus, the Redeemer from sin, death and 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



73 



the devil, or of their swine. Those who think 
that it was hard that the poor Gadarenes should 
lose two thousand swine only make it evident 
that they, too, think more of their cattle than of 
their souls. The Lord in our own day sometimes 
permits the death of cattle in order to arouse dead 
men from the sleep of sin. If the Gadarenes had 
received the Lord in faith, He could have given 
them more than two thousand swine (Luke xii. 31; 
xviii. 30). But they were so absorbed in their 
business that they accounted the deliverance of 
their brother's soul as a small matter compared to 
their loss of earthly possessions. They would not 
believe and be saved at the cost of loving Jesus 
more than their swine (Besser). 

3. Verses 34-S9. Where earthly possessions are 
imperiled, there is life and activity enough ; but 
there are very few who lift hand or foot to secure 
the salvation of their souls. The Gadarenes come 
out from their homes, behold the restored man 
and the Lord who has so wonderfully revealed 
His glory and power — but they do not see their 
swine, and their hearts are stirred. They are 
afraid of the Lord instead of the devil and his 
power here so appropriately revealed, and they 
beseech the Lord of Glory to depart from their 
midst. The woman of Canaan implores the help 
of the Lord ; the Gadarenes reject Him. The 
latter is the course of the world to-day, since it has 
more regard for its luxury and pleasures than for 
the salvation of the souls of men. The Lord 



74 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



departs, for, be it observed, He never forces Him- 
self upon anyone ; but in His infinite mercy He 
leaves behind Him the man delivered from the 
power of the devil as a witness and a herald of 
His grace and glor3^ May the Lord bless to us 
the testimony of His redeemed on earth. 



PRAYER. 

Our blessed Saviour, we bow before Thy throne of 
heavenly grace, to praise Thee for all that Thou hast done 
for us. Thou hast borne our griefs and carried our sor- 
rows. Thou didst behold us held in cruel chains of 
bondage by our great enemy and didst arise for our deliv- 
erance. Thou earnest into a world of sin to shed the 
pure rays of Thy divine holiness upon our hearts and to 
make us long to be freed from the dominion of Satan. 
Thou hast broken the shackles 'for those who put their 
trust in Thee, and canst by Thy word put to flight all the 
hosts of evil. O, dear Lord, drive out all the demons of 
darkness from our hearts, and make us pure and holy, 
that we may rejoice in Thee and serve Thee with all our 
powers and with all our possessions. Depart not out of 
our coasts, but abide with us forever. Amen. 



Wednesday. Passion History. Part IV. The 
Last Passover and the Warning to Judas. 

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this 
passover with you before I suffer : for I say unto you I will not 
any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said. Take this, and 
divide it among yourselves ; for I say unto you, I will not drink 
of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 
But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on 
the table. 

And he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then 
the disciples looked one on another, and they were exceeding 
sorrowful, and began to say unto him one by one. Lord, is it I ? 
He answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the 
dish, the same shall betray me. Now there was leaning on 
Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon 
Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should 
be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



75 



him, Lord, who is it ? Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall 
give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the 
sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, and said, The 
Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him ; but woe to 
that man by yvhom the Son of man is betrayed ! good were it for 
that man if he had never been born. Then Judas, which betrayed 
him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi ? He saith unto him. Thou 
hast said. And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then 
said Jesus unto him. That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man 
at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For 
some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus 
had said unto him., Buy those things that we have need of 
against the feast ; or, that he should give something to the poor. 
He then, having received the sop, went immediately out: and 
it was night (Matt. xxvi. 21-25 — Mark xiv. 18-21— Luke xxii. 
15-18— John xiii. 21-30). 

1. With desire I have desired to eat this pass- 
over with you," says the Lord. His heart-felt 
desire for us poor sinners brought Him to earth. 
Hast thou, too, a heart-felt desire to receive Him ? 
He heartily desired to die for us, and we often do 
not even desire to live with Him. He heartily 
desired to be with His disciples, and to-day, wher- 
ever two or three are gathered together in His 
name. He joyfully enters into their midst ; but 
we have so often far more desire for the world and 
its joys than for Him and His fellowship. He 
heartily desired to eat the passover with His dis- 
ciples, and ever in His church does He still dis- 
pense the true Passover in the Holy Supper ; but 
there is so little heartiness in our desire to eat this 
Passover, to receive the body and blood of the 
Lord in the Holy Supper. Our hearts often long 
far more for the husks of this world than for the 
Table of the Lord, laden with food and drink to 
nourish us for eternal life. 

2. The Lord is sorrowful in spirit as He thinks 
of His betrayer. He grieves, not because the 



76 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



betrayal will bring Him to His death, but because 
one of His disciples will be thereby given over to 
eternal death. Thus He mourns to-day over 
everyone of His followers who betrays Him by 
sin and unbehef. And should it not grieve Him, 
when an immortal soul is lost forever ? 

The Lord sees Judas hastening to his ruiiij and, 
moved by holy love and boundless mercy, makes 
earnest effort to rescue his poor soul upon the very 
verge of perdition. He therefore gives him warn- 
ing. He seeks to terrify him by the utterance of 
the solemn, ''^Voe to that man by whom the 
Son of man is betrayed." He reveals to him his 
sinful heart and shows him the depths of the abyss 
before him. But it is all in vain. Judas hardens 
his heart against the loving approaches of the 
Saviour and disregards the warnings given him. 
At length, therefore, Jesus gives the lost one up, 
with what feelings of anguish no human heart 
can know, since no other heart can be so full of 
love. The time of grace is ended. The judg- 
ment of heart-hardening has fallen upon Judas. 
Satan has won his prey. The Lord gives him 
over to his fate in the words, ''That thou doest, 
do quickly," and immediately he went out. 
'' And it was night." Around about him it was 
dark : but there was a deeper night in his soul. 
The light of grace has been extino:uished f3y his 
own fault, and before him stretches the night of 
eternal death and damnation. Here let every 
Christian pause, and beating upon his own breast 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



77 



exclaim, '^God be merciful to me, a sinner 
Let every soul arouse itself from its false security. 
The day of grace, the time when Jesus Christ yet 
lovingly beckons us on and strives to make salva- 
tion ours, is passing rapidly away. He who . 
dreams this precious time away in idleness shall 
surely be overtaken by destruction. When once 
for us the light of grace goes out, we will be 
enshrouded in eternal night. May the mercy of 
the Lord preserve us from such awful fate. 

PEAYER. 

Omniscient and merciful God ! How dark and sinful in 
Thy sight is the heart of man ! Thou alone knowest the 
depths of human depravity. Thou knowest the evil of 
my life and that I am unworthy to stand in Thy presence. 
Yet Thou dost not cast me from Thee. Patiently dost 
Thou bear with me, waiting only for the confession of 
my sins before Thee. 0, Lord, Thou hast searched me 
and known me. My secret sins are not hid from 
Thy sight. Alas ! I have a thousand times betrayed 
Thee. I have transgressed against Thy holy command- 
ments. My heart has found delight in the pleasures of 
sin. But Thou art my Saviour and wilt in mercy deliver 
me. I flee for refuge to Thee. 0, cast me not away 
forever. Though I have so often forgotten Thee, remember 
Thou me and have compassion upon me. Let me not fall 
into the snares of Satan, and let not the powers of evil 
snatch me out of Thine hand. Chasten me for my iniquity 
and rebuke me in Thy displeasure, lest I go on in sin and 
perish in misery, as did the son of perdition w^ho be- 
trayed Thee to Thine enemies. Give me true sorrow 
for sin, that I may come to Thee with penitent heart 
and find pardon and life. Amen. 

Thursday. Passion History. Part V. The In- 
stitution of the Lord' s Supper, 

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and 
brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said. Take, eat ; this is 
my body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me. 



78 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, 
gave thanks and gave it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it. This 
cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you and 
for many for the remission of sins. This do ye, as oft as ye drink 
it, in remembrance of me. I say unto you, I will not drink hence- 
forth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew 
with you in my Father's kingdom. When Judas was gone out, 
Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified 
in him ; and God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall 
straightway glorify him (Matt. xxvi. 26-29 — Mark xiv. 22-25 — Luke 
xxii. 19, 20 — John xiii. 31, 32 — i Cor. xi. 23-25). 

1. ' ' Christ has given Himself to us as a brother, 
friend and surety. But that was not enough to 
satisfy His love. He gave Himself also to us as 
food." All the blessings which He secured for 
us by His life, sufferings and death, i. e. , the for- 
giveness of sins, life and salvation, He gives to us 
when He gives us Himself in the Holy Supper. 
^ ' He thanks His heavenly Father that He has 
given Him power to institute this holy sacrament 
as the fulfillment of the passover. "With this 
prayer of thanksgiving, or eucharist, He blessed 
the bread and wine — dedicated and consecrated 
both for the presentation of His body and blood. 
The Word of the Lord once uttered has always 
the efficacy of an almighty ' Become,' when the 
Church assembles to celebrate the Holy Supper. ' ' 

2. In connection with the eating of the pass- 
over, the Lord instituted His blessed sacrament, 
indicating thereby that in the latter is fulfilled 
what was only typified in the ancient passover. 
The children of Israel in the sacrificial feast of 
the passover celebrated the gracious protection 
granted them w^hen the destroying angel slew the 
first-born in the houses of the Egyptians, and their 
deliverance from the house of bondage. The 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



79 



Passover Lamb sacrificed for us is Jesus Christ. 
By His sacrifice and blood we are saved from 
eternal destruction and delivered from the bond- 
age of sin. The Lord's Sujoper is our holy sacri- 
ficial feast, wherein the Lord with His body and 
blood bestows upon us and imparts to us all the 
grace which He, as our eternal High-priest, se- 
cured for us by His death upon the Cross. 

3. The Lord indeed yet stood before His disci- 
ples in the form of a servant. ' ' But it was His 
loving desire that they might eat His body given 
for them. He therefore reveals His glory, and at 
His word His body is in a mysterious way united 
with the consecrated bread. With, in and under 
the visible bread He presents to them His body to 
be eaten as an invisible heavenly treasure. And 
with, in and under the wine, He offers His blood, 
shed for the forgiveness of our sins, and thus 
pours His divine life into His followers; for the 
life of the body is in the blood." All therefore 
who in faith receive this blessed sacrament are 
most intimately united with the Lord Jesus. They 
become members of His body, of His flesh and 
of His bones (Eph. v. 30), filled and inspired by 
the life-currents of His holy blood. And as the 
Holy Supper unites us to Him, so does it bind us 
also one to another in true and loving fellowship. 

For just as from many separate grapes trodden 
together in the press there flows in mingled cur- 
rent ONE wine and one drink ; and as from many 
grains one meal is ground and one loaf or cake is 



80 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

baked,'' so are we in the Holy Supper nourished 
into ONE mysterious body and made to drink into 
ONE spirit. 

4. ''This do, as oft as ye drink it, in remem- 
brance of me." By this injunction the Lord 
appoints that we shall also observe His holy 
ordinance and receive His body and His blood in 
the Holy Supper with grateful remembrance of 
His boundless grace and sacrificial death. This 
ordinance and the blessings it conveys are to be 
continually observed and enjoyed until the time 
of its consummation in heaven. As the Jewish 
passover pointed forward to the true Passover 
which we received in the Lord's Supper, so does 
the Holy Supper point us forward to the time 
when the Lord shall celebrate it anew with His 
disciples in His Father's kingdom. Then will 
the fellowship of the Lord and His followers be 
complete, when, delivered from the body of this 
death and glorified, we shall be forever with 
the Lord, beholding Him in His glory and enjoy- 
ing the blessedness He has prepared for us from 
eternity to eternity. ' ' Blessed are they which 
are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. ' ' 

PEAYER. 

Our dear Lord and Saviour, who hast mercifully pre- 
pared for us a table, at which Thou dost impart to us 
Thy grace and blessing, grant that we may come to it 
with hearts well prepared to receive Thy benefits. As 
Thy body was broken and Thy blood was shed for the 
remission of our sins, enable us by true faith to lay hold 
upon the hope of pardon and reconciliation with Thee 



SECOND WEEK Ix\ LENT. 



81 



We are not worthy of Thy grace nor of a place with Thee, 
but Thou art merciful above all that we can ask or think. 
Be graciously pleased to heal our wounds, to soothe our 
sorrows, and to shed abroad Thy peace in our hearts. 
With marvelous kindness and grace Thou feedest us with 
Thyself, the true Bread of Life, and dost quench our deep 
thirst by giving us Thy blood to drink. For this. Thine 
infinite mercy, we render Thee our feeble praises, and we 
would give ourselves to Thee as a living sacrifice of 
thanksgiving. Preserve to us, we beseech Thee, and to 
Thy entire holy Church, this heavenly blessing, and take 
not from us on account of our sins the pure and true sac- 
rament of Thy body and blood. Grant that in Thy Holy 
Supper all heavy-laden and weary souls may find com- 
fort and strength ; and all Thy dying saints obtain sup- 
port and joy in their last hour. Amen. 

Friday. Passion History. Part VI. The Disci- 
pies Offended in Christ. 

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount 
of Olives. Then said Jesus, Little children, yet a little while I am 
with yoUo Ye shall seek me : and as I sdid unto the Jews, Whither 
I go ye cannot come, so now I say to you. A new command- 
ment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved 
you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know 
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Simon 
Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou ? Jesus answered 
him. Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou shalt 
follow me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I 
follow thee now ? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Yea, 
Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death. 
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake ? 
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he 
may sift you as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith 
fail not ; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 
And he said unto them all. All ye shall be offended because of me 
this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the 
sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen 
again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said 
unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet 
will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him. Verily I say unto 
thee, in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me 
thrice. Peter said unto him. Though I should die with thee, yet 
will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. And 
he sa d unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, 
and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said. Nothing. Then 
said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, 
and likewise his scrip : and he that hath no sword, let him sell his 
garment and buy one. For I say unto you that this that is written 
must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reckoned among the 
transgressors : for the things concerning me have an end. And 
they said. Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto 
them, It is enough (Matt. xxvi. 30-35— Mark xiv. 26-31 — Luke xxii. 
31-39— John xiii. 33-38). 

6 



82 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

1. The Lord gives to His disciples a neiv com- 
mandment before He leaves them. In the old com- 
mandment of love, which He repeats, there is a new 
element, i. 6., the manner of love, as He says : 

As I have loved you. " Such love, surrendering 
everything for suffering and death, purchasing 
with its own life the life of others, is new. May 
the Lord, teach us to comprehend this love, and 
grant us the power ourselves to practice it that we 
may be adjudged His disciples. 

2. The Lord warns His followers of the coming 
time of spiritual trial. Such seasons come to all 
believers. How often we seek for Him and can- 
not find Him. Our faith is so poor and lifeless, 
our heart so empty and drear, our prayer so weak 
and lame of wing. In such hours we should 
simply cast ourselves upon the mercy of Christ. 
He often hides Himself from us for a season, in 
order that our hearts may yearn the more for 
Him. But His face afterward beams again upon 
us in love. The sun of His grace penetrates at 
length every cloud and drives away the mist. 

3. Satan hath desired to have you, that he 
may sift you as wheat." Thus the faithful Lord 
warns Peter, when, confiding in his own strength 
and fidelity, he declares his willingness to die for 
his Master. The Lord warns against such self- 
confidence. The hour of sifting is sure to come, 
for Satan always desires to have those whom 
Christ loves. It is not our love for Him that will 
preserve us in the hour of sore temptation, but 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



83 



His love for us. That He, as High-priest, has 
given His hfe for us, and that He prays for us as 
for Peter, is our ground of comfort, the founda- 
tion that standeth far more sure than our own 
deceitful and desperately wicked hearts. This 
Peter was soon to learn by sad experience. The 
Lord shows him beforehand how deep will be his 
fall, but indicates also that he shall rise again, and 
then be able to strengthen his brethren. Thus 
the Lord is ever lifting us up again after our falls, 
and who of us does not daily require such assist- 
ance ? Who has not need to pray every day and 
every hour : ' ' Forgive us our trespasses ' ' ? 

4. The Lord foretells the coming of the time of 
open conflict when He counsels His disciples to 
buy each a sword. The conflict has come, and is 
not yet at an end. Every Christian must daily 
take the field against the world, and the flesh, and 
the devil. There must be valiant fighting, too, 
for it is a life-and-death struggle. The sword 
which the Lord here means is the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the Word of God. We, too, mus't 
wield this weapon ; yet, if He does not stand by 
us in the conflict, we shall still be overpowered. 
But He is with us, and He has conquered for us 
the world and Satan. We, by faith, make His 
victory our own, and thus trample the old enemy 
under our feet. 

PEAYER. 

0, Lord Jesus ! For us, too, hast Thou prayed that our 
faith fail not. Thou pleadest for us before Thy Father's 



84 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



throne, and in answer to Thy prayers we find protection 
in the midst of an evil world. 0, Lord, do thou preserve 
us by Thy love and grace, that w^e falter not in the hour 
of temptation. May w^e never be offended in Thee, nor 
forsake Thee ; but may w^e, by Thy grace, be enabled to 
overcome the adversary. The days are evil. Thy people 
are being sifted as w^heat. Dear Master ! hold Thou Thy 
hand over us, and may w^e be comforted and strengthened 
by the thought that Thou hast died for us, and that, hav- 
ing conquered death, Thou ever livest to intercede for us. 
Thou knowest that we have tribulations as our portion in 
this world, but Thou hast also been tempted and tried. 
By Thy pain and agony, by Thy sighs and tears, by Thy 
bloody death. Thou hast overcome the world. Therefore 
do we draw near to Thee with holy confidence. Eemem- 
ber us, dear Lord, and grant us Thy peace. Amen. 

Saturday. Freed by Christ from the Power of 
Darkness^ We should Folloio after True Holiness. 

1. Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you 
by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to 
walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 

2. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord 
Jesus. 

3. For this is the will of God, ei'efi your sanctification, that ye 
should abstain from fornication : 

4. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel 
in sanctification and honour; 

5. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which 
know not God : 

6. That no 7/ian go beyond and defraud his brother in a7zy mat- 
ter : because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also 
have forewarned you and testified. 

7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holi- 
ness (i Thes. iv. 1-7). 

1. In the Scripture readings for this week, we 
have had illustrations of the Lord's power over 
evil spirits. Satan, who in those memorable days 
of salvation exerted his power and dominion upon 
so many poor human souls, has still much to do 
with us. Sin comes originally from him, and it 
is he that continually prompts and incites us to 
sin. He that committeth sin is of the devil, for 
the devil sinneth from the beginning. ' ' ' But, ^ ' for 



SECOND WEEK IN LENT. 



8& 



this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that 
He might destroy the works of the devil." The 
Lord has with His innocent sufferings and death, 
and with His holy and precious blood, delivered 
us from all sins, from death and from the power 
of the devil, in order that we might be His, live 
under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in 
everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessed- 
ness. 

2. Verses IS. If Christ has thus delivered us 
from the power of the devil and shed His blood 
for us that we might be free from sin and be His 
own forever, we should not fall back into the old 
bondage, but strive daily after perfect liberty. 
Therefore St. Paul admonishes us, urging us ever 
to strive after perfection — to 'increase more and 
more." The will of God is our sanctification. 
Who of us has attained this goal? Since we all 
alike are not holy, but very unholy, it is for us 
to strive against sin with all earnestness and to 
follow after true holiness, as St. Paul confesses: 
' ' Not as though I had already attained, either 
were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I 
may apprehend that for which also I am appre- 
hended of Christ Jesus." The bitter sufferings 
of Christ, which He bore for our sake, should 
awaken in us a genuine hatred of sin. The deliv- 
erance which He has effected for us should impel 
us with all earnestness to follow after holiness. 
For this His grace will give us all needed strength. 
Of ourselves we can do nothing. The Lord must 



86 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

work in us to will and to do, and only when His 
strength is made mighty in our weakness can we 
make constant progress in holiness. 

3. Verses 3-7. The apostle warns believers with 
special emphasis against two sins — fornication and 
fraud. It would seem as though Paul were writ- 
ing especially for our times. Bold, unbridled 
licentiousness and the mad and unscrupulous 
pursuit of w^ealth are the leading sinful tendencies 
of our age. By inciting lust and avarice Satan 
gains power over so many souls. When the 
heathen, who know nothing of God, surrender 
themselves to the dominion of their carnal pas- 
sions, we cannot greatly wonder. But 0, what 
triflers are many who are called Christians, how 
hopelessly ensnared in the toils of lust ! There 
is no other sin which so surel}^ closes the heart 
against the influences of grace. How can He 
who is holy and pure take up His dwelling in a 
heart that is filled with impurity and sinful lust ? 
God, who is holy, desires that the body, as well 
as the soul and spirit, be preserved blameless until 
the coming of the Lord. A temple of God, and 
not a vessel full of sin and abomination, should 
be the body which the Lord has sanctified by the 
giving of His body and blood, and .which He de- 
sires to sanctify more and more until after death 
it arises in a blissful resurrection. Like carnal 
lust, the servic^e of Mammon has turned many 
hearts away from God. This is the highest aim 
of so many in our age — to become quickly rich. 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



87 



in order thereafter to live in carnal luxury. Where 
avarice is found, there are not wanting also fraud 
and unrighteousness. Of these the world to-day 
is full, and thus wealth often becomes the snare 
by means of which Satan entraps immortal souls 
to their eternal ruin. The poverty of Christ 
- should crucify in us the greed of gain, so that we 
'should not pursue the perishing things of earth, 
but the eternal riches which He by His poverty 
has won for us and the true joy which He through 
His sufferings has prepared for us. 

PRAYER. 

Christ, Thou Son of God, we thank Thee that Thou 
didst become the Son of man and dwell in mortal flesh. 
Thou hast thus revealed to us the Father. We thank 
Thee for Thy pure and holy life, and for Thy many mira- 
cles. Thou hast healed the sick and called the dead to 
Me again, and restored to their right minds those who 
weire possessed of devils. 0, do Thou have compassion 
on us. Heal Thou our diseases — drive out from our 
hea<rts every evil passion and awaken in us pure desires. 
Make us holy as Thou art holy. Help us to walk in Thy 
footsteps and to do Thy will. May we have daily com- 
munion with Thee and thus become ever more like Thee. 
Keep Thou us free from the evil that is in the world, and 
prepare us to serve Thee in perfect holiness when our 
pilgrimage on earth is ended. Amen. 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 
Yet once more, in the readings of this week, we 
behold the Lord manifesting His glorious power 
over the kingdom of darkness. He is the Stronger 
One who has fallen upon the strong man armed 
and taken from him his booty. He thus displays 



88 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



His eternal Godhead, while the further study of 
the passion history reveals ever more fully His 
deep humiliation. 



Sunday. Christ Drives out Devils and thereby 
Proves that the Kingdom of God is Come, and that 
He is the Stronger One who can Overcome the Strong 
Armed Man. 

14. And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it 
came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake ; 
and the people wondered. 

15. But some of them said. He casteth out devils through 
Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 

16. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from 
heaven. 

17. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them. Every 
kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation ; and a 
house divided against a house falleth. 

18. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his 
kingdom stand ? because ye say that I cast out devils through 
Beelzebub. 

19. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your 
sons cast them out ? therefore shall they be your judges. 

20. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the 
kingdom of God is come upon you. 

21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods 
are in peace : 

22. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and 
overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he 
trusted, and divideth his spoils. 

23. He that is not with me is against me : and he that gath- 
ereth not with me scattereth. 

24. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh 
through dry places, seeking rest ; and finding none, he saith, I 
will return unto my house whence I came out. 

25. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 

26. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more 
wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and 
the last state of that man is worse than the first. 

27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain 
woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, 
Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou 
hast sucked. 

28. But he said. Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the 
word of God, and keep it (Luke xi. 14-28). 

1. Here, again, we hear of the Lord's power 
over the devil and his kingdom. Why so often? 
Because all the enmity against the Lord, His suf- 
ferings, shame and death, spring from the king- 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



89 



dom qi darkness ; because Satan has been a liar 
and a deceiver from the beginning ; because 
through him sin, and through sin death and every 
misery entered the world ; because, although held 
in reserve for judgment, he has yet power over the 
unbelieving, and goes about as a roaring lion seek- 
ing whom he may devour. With this same enemy 
and his horde of evil spirits we, too, must contend. 
God help us, that we may not be overpowered, 
but hold the field against him. From our lesson 
to-day it is clear that there is a devil and a king- 
dom of darkness, with which all evil stands inti- 
mately connected, and that the devil and his hosts 
hold sway over the lives of very many men. Were 
it not so, the Lord must here have corrected the 
error and not have allowed the Pharisees to cherish 
their false belief. But, on the contrary. He Him- 
self speaks of a prince of the devils and his king- 
dom. Just as certainly, then, as no deceit was 
found in the mouth of Christ, must we accept it 
as beyond dispute, that there is a devil and a 
kingdom of darkness, whose power extends to this 
world. This fact remains, despite all the wisdom 
of men and all the contradiction of the world 
which is no longer willing to bow before the Word 
of God. Dost thou recognize this terrible truth ? 
Shouldst thou not, then, watch and pray earnestly 
against the devil and his kingdom, that thou 
mayest not fall into his power ? 0, what a com- 
fort to know that the Lord is the Stronger One, 
before whom the spirits of darkness must yield 



90 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

and flee ! In our Gospel to-day we see Him, 
though in the midst of His sufferingSj yet invested 
with divine glory ; and, rage as he may, Satan is 
compelled to submit to His authority. 

2. Verses lJp-16. Not all the people are pre- 
pared to acknowledge the Lord's power. We 
find three classes of persons, with three different 
opinions in regard to the miracle performed upon 
the dumb man. Of the first class it is said : The 
people wondered." They were astounded and 
amazed at the power of the Lord. Others were 
not willing to acknowledge His power so readily ; 
they stood aloof, waiting for further signs from 
heaven. The third class cannot deny that He has 
power over evil spirits, but they close their eyes 
against the light, and choose to revile the Saviour 
and His works rather than acknowledge Him in 
His glory. They accuse Him of performing His 
miracles through the chief of the devils. The 
Lord is still in His church, winning one victory 
after another over Satan, and those who witness 
them are, as of old, divided in opinion. Some 
are filled with amazement and bow in reverent 
worship ; others hesitate and are not willing to 
come out fully upon the Lord's side, nor to 
actively oppose Him ; while others begin to mock 
and revile. To which class dost thou belong ? Be 
honest with thyself. 

3. Verses 17-22. The Lord has a most appro- 
priate message for each of these three classes. To 
the revilers He clearly points out their folly, and 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



91 



shows them how absurd it is to maintain that the 
devil is seeking to destroy his own kingdom. If 
devils can be driven out only by the help of the 
chief of the devils, then must the followers of the 
Pharisees (who also drove out devils, or professed 
to do so) be also enlisted in the service of the 
devil. But when the Lord, by the finger of God, 
drives out devils, it is an evidence that the king- 
dom of God is come, by which Satan's kingdom 
must be overthrown. The Stronger One has come 
upon the strong man armed — Christ has come to 
conquer Belial, and has overcome him and taken 
from him all his armor wherein he trusted. But 
Satan's armor is the sins of men, and his palace is 
the world and every unguarded human heart. 
Christ has vanquished the enemy, and wresting 
from him the booty which he had taken from 
men — i. 6., peace, righteousness, and joy — restored 
them to those who accept Him as their Lord. 

4. Verse 23. Jesus then turns to the wavering 
and urges them to decision in the earnest words : 
' ' He that is not with me is against me. ' ' Note 
well the words ! No one can be neutral here. Half- 
hearted service counts for nothing with the Lord. 
For Him or against Him ! The solemn choice 
must be made. Where dost thou stand ? It is 
the greatest blessing of our turbulent age, that this 
saying of our Lord is coming to be ever more 
clearly understood. The line is being constantly 
more sharply drawn between the friends and the 
enemies of the Lord. The kingdom of light is 



92 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



withdrawing more and more from the kingxlom of 
darkness. The half-hearted are everywhere de- 
spised. Blessed is he who chooses the better part ! 
If we are for Christ, He will be for us now and in 
the day of judgment ; and if Christ be for us, who 
can be against us ? 

5. Verses 2Jf-26. Finally, the Lord addresses 
those who believe on Him, warning them and 
exhorting them to watch and pray. If the evil 
spirit has been driven from thee and thou be- 
lievest on the Lord — yet 0, rest not in security, 
but watch lest the old enemy still overcome thee. 
Be not indolent nor careless. Let there be but 
one unguarded moment, and the enemy will come 
with seven other evil spirits and your last state 
will be worse than the first. Watch, therefore, 
and hasten to Christ. He is the Lord who over- 
comes the world and the devil. 

6. Verses 27 and 28. While the Lord is thus 
speaking, suddenly a voice of 23raise arises from 
the midst of the throng : ^ ' Blessed is the womb 
that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast 
sucked ! " It is a beautiful and truthful exclama- 
tion. But more glorious is the Lord's response : 

Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word 
of God, and keep it." Thus would He lovingly 
allure thee and all the world to accept salvation. 
May He graciously bestow upon us all the price- 
less boon, and ever protect us by His power from 
the great enemy, that he may not be permitted to 
entice us into sin and drag us to perdition. 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



93 



PEAYER. 

Lord God our Father, we praise and magnify Thy name, 
that Thou didst send Thy Son into the world to destroy 
the works and kingdom of darkness, and free us from the 
chains of sin and death and from ah the power of Satan. 
To Thee. Lord Jesus, we come for refuge and for help in 
every hour of need. Thou art the Eternal Son of the 
Eternal Father. Thou hast robbed the tyrant Satan of 
his power to control us. But Thou seest, Lord, how 
temptations still beset us. The powers of darkness still 
hold sway on earth and threaten to overwhelm us. Grant 
to arm us with Thy might, and help us to put on the 
whole armor of God. Give to us the shield of faith and 
the helmet of salvation, and help us to grasp firmly the 
sword of the Spirit and w^ield it manfully by Thy power, 
that we may stand in the evil day and come of£ at last 
victorious, to live and reign with Thee forever. Amen. 

Monday. God the Father has^ through Jesus 
Christj Freed us from the Dominion of the Devil, 
The Apostle Reminds us of the Glory of the Lord 
and the Value of His Sacrifice in our Behalf 

12. Giving thanks unto the Father, whic^i hath made us meet 
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light : 

13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and 
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son : 

14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the 
forgiveness of sins : 

15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of 
every creature : 

16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and 
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they thrones, 
or dominions, or principalities, or powers : all things were 
created by him, and for him : 

17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

18. And he is the head of the body, the church : who is the 
beginning, the firstborn from the dead ; that in all things he might 
have the preeminence. 

19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness 
dwell ; 

20. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by 
him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether 
they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

21. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in 
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 

22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy 
and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight : 

23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and he not 
moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, 
and which was preached to every creature which is under 
heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister (Col. i. 12-23). 



94 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

1. Verses 12-14. As the Lord in ancient Israel 
so gloriously displayed His authority and power 
over Satan, coming upon the strong man armed as 
the Stronger One, so is He manifesting His power 
to-day. We are all by nature, in consequence of 
our sinfulness, under the hand and power of the 

strong man," w^ho is armed with lies and art- 
ful schemes, with insolence and treachery. We 
are living in his kingdom, the kingdom of dark- 
ness, and are far too weak to free ourselves by our 
own strength from his hellish chains and bonds 
and from the power of darkness. But God 
has sent Christ, His only Son, to destroy the w^orks 
and the kingdom of the devil. The Lord wTcstled 
with the adversary in deadly combat and shed His 
blood. Thus has God delivered us from the 
dominion of darkness and translated us into the 
kingdom of His dear Son, the blessed kingdom of 
grace, where righteousness and peace and joy 
have become our portion. This grace is bestowed 
upon us in Holy Baptism. We have redemp- 
tion, namely, the forgiveness of our sins, if we 
only in faith keep it. We have been bought 
by the precious blood of Christ. This is the 
enormous price which He gave for us poor sinners, 
for which w^e should give hearty thanks, praising 
God, that He has thus made us meet for the 
inheritance of the saints in light. 

2. Verses 15-17, That we may be enabled to 
appreciate more highly the inestimable price paid 
for our redemption, St. Paul reminds us who it 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



95 



is who has shed His blood for us. It i^ nx^ne 
other than the eternal Son of God, the image of 
the invisible God, the firstborn of the whole crea- 
tion, through whom all things were made, in 
whom all things have their being. It is He 
who is true God and true man, the Son of God 
and son of Mary. The true, eternal divinity of 
Christ is plainly enough proved from the lips of 
the Lord and His apostles, in their utterances re- 
corded in the Scriptures.^ But it is precisely at 
the confession of this great truth that the world 
takes the greatest offense. It moves the world 
to mockery and hatred, that in Jesus Christ the 
.divine and human natures should be thus mys- 
teriously united. But faith grasps the mystery 
and finds in it a rich and blessed consolation. 

3. Verses 18-23. What could be more comfort- 
ing for us than to know that our God and Saviour, 
through whom all things were made, who is 
exalted above the angels and all heavenly prin- 
cipalities, has so deeply humbled Himself and 
has become man ? He has died for us, has 
by the body of His flesh through death atoned 
for us, and has by His blood upon the cross 
made peace between us and the God of holi- 
ness. Thus has he made us free from sin, death 
and the devil, and has sanctified us and received 
us as members of His body, the church. But He 
Himself is the Head of the body. We remain in 

* John i. 1-14 ; v. 23 ; viii. 58 ; x. 30 ; xiv. 9 ; xvii. 5 ; xx. 28— Matt, 
xviii. 20 ; xxviii. 20— Col. ii. 9— Rom ix. 5—1 John v. 20. 



96 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



Him and are partakers of all the grace which He 
has obtained for ns, if we remain firm and well- 
grounded in the faith^ and do not depart from the 
teachings of the Gospel. May God grant us His 
Holy Spirit, that w^e may with the entire holy 
Church, in true faith, confess Jesus Christ as true 
God and true man, Son of God and son of Mary, 
blessed to all eternity. 



PRAYER. 

Our Heavenly Father, who dwellest in hght unto which 
no man can approach, we thank Thee that Thou hast caused 
Thy hght to shine upon us in the face of Jesus Christ 
Thy Son. Lord Jesus, who art the brightness of the 
Father's glory and the express image of His person, we 
thank Thee that Thou hast come to be this dark world's 
light and to deliver us from the power of darkness and 
from the shadows of death. 0, dear Saviour, it was at 
the cost of Thine own life that we have been snatched 
from the jaws of death. Thou didst go down into the 
darkness of the grave, that the light of life might arise 
for us, and that we might walk in the light of hope and 
joy. 0, Holy Spirit, shine upon our hearts, that we may 
behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and 
that we may be kept by Thy power until we shall rejoice 
with all saints and angels in the land where all is light 
and joy and peace. Amen. 

Tuesday. Christy in Whom Dwelleth All the Full- 
ness of the Godhead, has Made us Free from All the 
Powers of Darkness. 

6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk 
ye in him : 

7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as 
ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 

8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain 
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the 
world, and not after Christ. 

9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

10. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all prin- 
cipality and power : 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 97 

11. In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision 
made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the 
flesh by the circumcision of Christ : 

12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with 
hitn through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised 
him from the dead. 

13. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision 
of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having for- 
given you all trespasses ; 

14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was 
against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, 
nailing it to his cross ; 

15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a 
shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Col. ii. 6-15). 

1. Verses 6-10. The holy apostle admonishes 
the Colossians and us all who have accepted the 
Lord Jesus Christ that we must now also live in 
Him. Christ must be the Way in which we 
walk, the Root from which we draw our strength 
and life, the Rock upon which we rest. By no 
human wisdom must we suffer ourselves to be led 
astray, for all the wisdom of the world cannot 
offer us what Christ gives. ^ ' In Him dwelleth all 
the fulness of the Godhead bodily," testifies St. 
Paul. The eternal Godhead has united itself so 
intimately with humanity that the man Jesus 
now partakes of the glory and all the attributes of 
the eternal Godhead. He is, therefore, able to 
bestow all fullness of blessedness upon us, and in 
Him we have all that we need. 

2. Verses 11-15. That we may be the more 
strongly moved to fidelity in the service of the 
Lord, deciding positively for Him in true faith, 
the apostle now shows how we possess in Christ 
deliverance from sin, from the Law and from the 
power of the devil. We were dead in sins, but 
He has freely forgiven us all our sins, and be- 

7 



98 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

stowed upon us the blessed fruits of His death in 
Holy Baptism, which is the true spiritual circum- 
cision. The Lord has awakened us from the 
death of sin, and will also one day awaken us 
from bodily death ; for now that we are free from 
sin, the wages of sin must also be abolished. The 
Law, with its commandments and ordinances, is 
against us. It is a mirror of our guilt, from which 
we learn how flagrantly we have sinned against 
God. AVho can pay the inestimable debt of sin ? 
^^None of them can by any means redeem his 
brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. For 
the redemption of their soul is precious. " There- 
fore God the Son became man and made a ran- 
som for us by His life, sufferings and death. 
The handwriting that was against us is hence- 
forth no longer valid. The Lord has removed it. 
It w^as blotted out with His blood. It was torn 
and canceled by the nails driven through His 
hands and feet upon the cross. Through our 
sins we had been brought under Satan's power. 
But He, the Stronger One, has come upon the 
strong man armed. He has in bloody conflict won 
the victory over the principalities and powers of 
hell, and in His resurrection triumphed over 
them. For all those who now lay hold upon the 
Lord in faith, the power of Satan is broken. 
It is true, he yet assails us with his wiles, but the 
Lord, our God, is with us. We need only strive 
earnestly and pray in faith, and we shall ere long 
be enabled to trample Satan forever under our feet. 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



99 



PRAYER. 

Almighty Saviour, with thankful hearts we come before 
Thee, for Thou hast made us free from sin and death. 
We were dead in our sins, but Thou hast called us to 
newness of life. We were under condemnation, but 
Thou hast by the sacrifice of Thyself upon the cross 
made atonement for our sins and for the sins of the whole 
world. We were bound by the adversary of our souls, 
but Thou hast overcome the prince of the powers of 
darkness and set us free. 0, do Thou fill our hearts with 
gratitude and love to Thee. May we never be again 
entangled with the yoke of bondage. Let sin have no 
more dominion over us. May we glorify Thee in our 
bodies and in our spirits, which are Thine ; and when 
our life on earth is ended, grant, blessed Lord, that we 
may have a place in the heavenly mansions which Thou 
hast gone to prepare for those that love Thee. Amen. 

Wednesday. Passion History. Fart VII. Christ 
in Gethsemane. 

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, 
where was a garden into which he entered and his disciples. And 
Judas also, which betrayed him, khew the place : for Jesus oft- 
times resorted thither with his disciples. And when he was at 
the place, he said unto them, Sit ye here while I go and pray 
yonder. Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he took with 
him Peter, and James, and John, and began to be very sorrowful 
and very heavy, and saith unto them. My soul is exceeding sor- 
rowful, even unto death : tarry ye here and watch with me. And 
he was withdrawn from them and went forward a little, about a 
stone's cast, and fell on his face on the ground, and prayed that, if 
it were possible, the hour might pass from him, and said, O my 
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Abba, Father, 
all things are pKJssible unto thee ; take away this cup from me : 
nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he came 
to his discipfces, and found them sleeping, and he said unto Peter, 
Simon, sleepest thou ? Could ye not watch with me one hour ? 
Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit is 
willing, but the ffesh is weak. And he went away the second 
time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass 
away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he 
returned and found them asleep again, for their eyes were 
heavy, neither wist they what to answer him. And he left them 
and went away again, and prayed the third time, and spake the 
same words, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup 
from me : nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And 
there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening 
him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his 
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the 
ground. And he rose up from prayer and came the third time to 
his disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow, and saith unto 
them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough. Behold, 
the hour is here that the son of man is betrayed into the hands of 
sinners. Rise, let us be going : behold, he is at hand that doth 



100 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

betray me (Matt. xxvi. 36-46 — Mark xiv. 32-42 — Luke xxii. 39-46 — 
John xviii. 1-2). 

1. My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto 
death," said the Lord. What has plunged His 
soul into such sorrow ? What is the cause of His 
heaviness of hear^ ? It is the heavy burden of sin 
that oppresses Him. Our sins, and the sins of the 
whole world, are laid upon Him. His soul is 
horrified at the thought that He, the Holy One, 
must bear sin and death, the wages of sin. What 
could give more pain to His pure nature than sin ? 
He who has reposed in the love of God from all 
eternity feels now the burning fire of the divine 
wrath against our sins. God hath made Him to 
be sin for us who knew no sin. It is no trifling 
matter that the Holy One should now bear the 
sins of the world ; that life should be committed 
to the power of death ; that the only-begotten Son 
of God should experience the fire of divine wrath ; 
that He, who is God from all eternity, must lie 
struggling and pleading in the dust. For us — for 
me and for thee — did He endure all this. He 
was made a curse for us. Let us mark well the 
words, for us, that we may learn from the Lord^s 
deep agony how deep was our ruin, which brought 
the Holy One into such anguish and distress, and 
that we may then also find comfort when dis- 
tressed by our own sins, knowing that He has 
borne them all. Thus the sufferings of Christ in 
Gethsemane become for us an earnest admonition 
to repentance, and a blessed means of consoling us 
and strengthening our faith. 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



2. Three times does the Lord fall upon His face 
in earnest prayer. Three times He implores that, 
if it be possible, the bitter cup be removed from 
Him. Three times He humbly surrenders Him- 
self into His Father's hands, submissive to His 
will. We may gather from this some idea of the 

, terrible price of our redemption. '^The Lord's 
pure and holy nature must have shrunk from the 
pangs of death ; His holy soul, by nature full of. 
hfe and blessedness, must have revolted at the 
thought of the pangs of the lost, and He pours 
out this feeling of His heart before His Father ' ' 
(Besser. ) We can never fully understand the 
depths of His sufferings and agony, but let us 
believe that it was for us that He lay prostrate 
upon the earth and agonized in prayer. Let this 
be our consolation in our hours of temptation and 
of deepest distress. He who was without friends 
to comfort Him in that night of anguish and dis- 
tress, with whom even His own most faithful dis- 
ciples could not watch, will not be far from us, 
but will watch with us, and with all His followers, 
through every dark night of sorrow and tears. 
And if it be not possible to take from us every cup 
of suffering, yet will he let fall into each a drop of 
His heavenly comfort. When your soul is sor- 
rowful unto death, think of Gethsemane. 

3. ^ ^ And being in agony He prayed more earn- 
estly, and His sweat was as it were great drops of 
blood, falling down to the ground." The terrors 
and agony of death make His very bones to shud- 



102 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



der. The floods of ungodly men are roaring 
about Him. The pains of hell take hold upon 
Him. So deeply does His divine pity bring Him 
into sympathy with us poor sinners that He feels 
our sins as His own, and experiences for us the 
pains of hell. The struggle was an awful one, but 
the Lord came off victorious. An angel appeared 
and strengthened Him. He conquered for our 
good. Blessed be His holy name ! 

PKAYER. 

0, Lord Jesus Christ ! In anguish of soul didst Thou 
weep, and pray, and sweat Moody drops upon the cold 
ground in the dark night of Thy humihation. Our sins, 
and the sins of the whole world, were laid upon thee. 
In order that we might be redeemed, didst Thou writhe 
in the dust. Thou didst suffer torment, that we might be 
delivered from the pains of hell. Fill us, we pray thee, 
with a deep sense of Thy wonderful love and mercy, that 
we may evermore hate sin, and abhor ourselves in dust 
and ashes. We, too, would Aveep, and pray, and mourn 
in anguish of soul, that our sins and guilt were the cause 
of Thy bitter agony. Lord have mercy upon us, and 
let the precious drops of blood that fell from Thy sacred 
body cleanse us from all sin. We would lie down in the 
dust with Thee, and confess that we are not worthy of 
the least part of all the sweat, and tears, and blood 
which Thou hast poured out for us. But Thou hast not 
suffered in vain. By Thy groans, and agony, and death 
Thou hast redeemed us poor, lost and condemned sinners 
from eternal death. Keep us faithful to Thee. May we 
suffer with Thee here on earth, and reign with Thee in 
Thy heavenly kingdom. Amen. 

Thursday. Passion History. Part VIII. Christ 
Betrayed and Arrested. 

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas came, one of the twelve, who 
had received the band (of soldiers) and servants of the high- 
priests and Pharisees, with lanterns and torches, and with swords 
and staves, and led them to the place. And he that betrayed him 
had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that 
same is he ; take him and lead him away safely. And as soon as 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



103 



Judas was come, he goeth straightway to Jesus and saith, Hail, 
Master, and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, 
wherefore art thou come ? Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man 
with a kiss ? Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should 
come upon him. went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye ? 
They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, 
I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 
As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went back- 
ward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again. Whom 
seek ye ? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I 
have told you that I am he ; if therefore ye seek me, let these go 
their way: that the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake. Of 
them which thou gavest me have I lost none. And they laid their 
hands on Jesus and took him. When they which were about him 
saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite 
with the sword ? And behold one of them which were with him 
had a sword and stretched out his hand, and smote the servant of 
the high-priest and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was 
Malchus. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. 
And he touched his ear, and healed him. Then said Jesus unto 
Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath into his place, for all 
they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. The cup 
which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it ? Or think- 
est thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall 
presently give me more than twelve legions of angels ? But how 
then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be ? Then 
the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and 
bound him. Then said Jesus unto the chief priests, and captains 
of the temple and the elders and the multitude which were come 
to him. Are ye come as against a thief, with swords and staves, • 
for to take me ? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and 
ye stretched forth no hand again-t me and took me not ; but this 
is your hour and the power of darkness. And all this was done 
that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all 
the disciples forsook him and fled. And there followed him a 
certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked 
body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the 
linen cloth and fled from them naked (Matt. xxvi. 47-56 — Mark 
xiv. 43-52— Luke xxii." 47-53— John xviii. 3-12). 

1. The hour of the betrayal is at hand. Judas 
approaches the Lord and kisses Him. With the 
sign of love and friendship he betrays his Master. 
What a deep pang must have pierced the Saviour's 
heart that one of His own disciples should betray 
Him and sink to eternal perdition before His very 
eyes. In vain had He stretched forth His hand 
to help ; he would not be saved. The kiss of 
Judas caused the Lord more pain than the pierc- 
ing of His hands by the cruel nails or than all the 
slanders of His enemies. And yet even to the 



104 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

betrayer He shows a Saviour's love. No word of 
rebuke falls from His lips. Even to the traitor 
He speaks with holy mildness. ^^If He deals 
thus mildly and gently with the tool and slave of 
Satan, how much more will He not treat with 
sympathy and kindness those who have fallen 
through weakness!" (Augustine). But we 
should give earnest heed lest we fall into the sin 
of Judas, drawing near to the Lord with our lips 
while our hearts are far from Him. 

2. With Judas come the band of soldiers and 
the servants of the chief priests and the Pharisees 
with torches and with spears and staves. They 
come in the night-time. Courage fails them for 
the evil deed they are about to do ; they draw 
near therefore with treachery and in the stillness 
of the night. The Lord meets them with won- 
derful majesty and glory, with the holy courage 
of the righteous. I am he whom ye seek" — 
at the word they fall back and sink to the earth. 
All men are to know that He was not taken by 
force, but, moved by love, freely surrenders him- 
self to the hands of the ungodly. '^What will 
He do when He comes to judge, if He acts thus 
when He is being judged ? What power will He 
have when He comes to reign, if He had such 
power when He came to die?" (Augustine). 

Then will all fall upon their knees. Some will 
be like Judas and his band, and will fall backward 
to the earth ; others will fall upon their faces and 
worship" (Besser). The Lord willingly gives 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



105 



Himself into the hands of sinners, to bonds and 
fetters, in order that we, released from all bonds, 
might be free in Him. ' ^ Let these go their way. ' ' 
Thus does He pronounce us free, that sin, death, 
the world and Satan may have no power over us. 

3. Peter, in his rash and impetuous way, would 
defend his Lord, and smites angrily with his 
sword. But the Lord gently admonishes him to 
keep the peace. He does not wish the help of 
the sword, nor even the defense of angels. He 
submits in humility to the will of His Father. 
He is not overpowered, and is not driven by force 
to His death, but He in His free grace surrenders 
His life as a ransom and propitiation for us poor 
sinners. We should learn that the weapons of 
our warfare are not carnal ; the sword which we 
are to wield is the holy Word of God. The wea- 
pons of the Church are prayers and tears. With 
these we overcome the world. 

4. The Lord meekly permits Himself to be 
bound by the soldiers, of the band ; not because 
He must, but because it was His will. But even 
in His bonds, He is a mighty preacher of repent- 
ance for the rabble of His enemies. His disciples 
forsake Him. What pain must their faithlessness 
have given Him ! But no word of complaint 
escapes His lips. He remains faithful though all 
others fail. How often do not our hearts wander 
from Him ? How often do we shun the cross as 
did they ? But He does not forsake us. Let it be 
our consolation, in suffering and in the hour of 



luti 3iei'Itat:ll\.s foe the passion season. 

death, that He is so faithful and that He holds us 
ever in His piereed hands. May He preserve us 
to eternal blessedness. 

PEAYEE. 

Christ, our Lcird I Th<jii wast betrayed into the 
hands of Thine' enemies by one Avho had been among Thy 
familiar friends. Make us faithful to Thee and to Thy 
h<:'ly AVord. that we may n^jt bt^tray Thee by our mibelief 
au'i sms. 0. how (jfien hav^^ we by om evil deeds grieved 
Thy loving ht-art ! Forgive us. we pray, and take not 
Thy mercy ir^jm us. Th-ju didst permit Tlhne enemies 
10 bind Thy haniis. when Thou mightest by the wc.rd oi 
Thy powt^r have smitten all Thint a'iversaries to dtarh. 
Thousands oi angt^ls st':":..;! ready to do Thy bidding : I'Ut 
Thiju didst willingly eniiure the bands of the wicked 
that Thc>u nhghTe>t free us frL^-m tht^ bau'ls c-f sin and 
Satan. Lord, how can we t^ver litly thank Thee for 
Thy rich LjVf an<;l mt-rcy. ]\Ifrciiully accept the tribute 
C'f thanksgiving an^i p'raisf whicii we bring Thte to-day. 
Enab'le us to fc'll^jw Tiiee Avith lidelity day by day. and 
bring us at length to that grtat cumpany of saints and 
angels who gatht^r arcaind Thee in heaven, bc'iind to Thee 
by the bands of Ljve. whert- we shah render Thee worthier 
praise for all Tliy Love and mercy, world without end. 
Amen. 

Feiday. Passinn Hrstory. Pert IX. Christ 
bfjort Annas and Caiaphas. 

And they that had laid hold on Jesus and bound him led him 
away to Annas first: for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas. 
which was the high-priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was 
he which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that 
one man should die for the people. The high-priest then asked 
Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him. 
I spake openly to the world : I ever taught in the synagogue and 
in the tem.ple, v/hither the Jews always resort: and in secret 
have I said nothing. Why asketh thou me ? Ask them which 
heard m^e. what I have said unto them : behold, they know what 
I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers wnich 
s:ood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying. 
Answerest thou the high-priest so ? Jesus answered him.. If I 
have spoken evil, bear v.-itness of the evil : but if well, why 
sm.itest thou me ? And Annas sent him. bound to the high-priest 
Caiaphas. And the m.en that held Jesus mocked himi and smote 
him, And when they had blindfolded him. they struck him on 
the face, and asked him., saying. Prophesy, who is it that smote 



THIRD WEEK IX LEXT. 



107 



thee ? And many other things blasphemously spake they against 
him (Luke xxii. 54; 63-65~John xviii. 12-14; 19-24). 

1. Christ is led first to Annas. For us He endures 
the ignominy of being led from one unrighteous 
judge to another, and of being finally condemned. 
He is entirely innocent, and is yet judged, in order 
that we who are entirely guilty might be free from 
the judgment. He is the true God from eternity, 
and yet patiently endures smitings with the hand 
and fist, in order that we might not be called upon 
to endure eternal perdition. For us — in the light 
of these w^ords must we always consider the igno- 
miny which He endured. For that which Caiaphas, 
without intending it, by yirtue of his office as high- 
priest prophetically declared, when he gaye the 
counsel that it was ^ ' expedient that one man 
should die for the people," has been fulfilled. It 
is good for us all, that the One man, Jesus Christ, 
the Son of God, has been offered up for all peoples. 
Alone through this sacrifice are we sayed from 
eternal death. 

2. How meekly and quietly the Lord endures 
the grayest insults. He permits Himself to be 
struck by a miserable seryant — He, the Lord of 
glory ! ^' Our Lord faced His accusers with meek- 
ness, and not only turned the other cheek for new 
smitings, but held His whole body in readiness to 
be nailed upon the cross, and thereby proyed that 
His great injunctions to patient endurance are to 
be fulfilled not with outward moyements of the 
body, but by preparations of the heart. For one 



108 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

may outwardly turn the other cheek, and yet cher- 
ish anger in the heart. Christ answers His accus- 
ers truthfully and with entire moderation, and 
stands ready to endure more serious assaults with 
calm and gentle courage ' ' (Augustine) . How differ- 
ent are we ! How easily our hearts swell with car- 
nal wrath when anyone transgresses against us ! 
Let us learn from our Lord and Saviour long-suffer- 
ing, patience, humility, and composure of mind. 

3. The servants smite the Lord in the face, 
mockingly addressing Him as a prophet, saying. 
Prophesy unto us, who is he that smote thee ? and 
reviling Him. What will be their feelings when 
they shall one day see the face that they smote 
radiant in the glory of the eternal Godhead ? How 
will it be with them when they shall see the One 
whom they judged and condemned sitting as the 
Judge who shall pronounce irreversible and un- 
changeable judgment upon them ? And what will 
then be our feelings ? It is our sins which have 
brought Him into shame, suffering, and death. 
^ ' For the evildoers, the Jews, were the servitors 
of thy sin, and it is most certainly thou who hast 
by sin crucified and slain God's Son" (Luther). 
Our sins are the smitings which grieve His 
soul more than all the strokes received from the 
hands of the ungodly servants of the high- 
priest. His gentleness should therefore lead 
us all to repentance, while yet there is time. 
When He comes again. He will not come thus 
patient and gentle, but as the holy Judge of all 



THIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



109 



the earth. Woe be to those who have wantonly 
abused His long-suffering, and who have dreamed 
and idled away the day of grace ! 

PEAYEK. 

0. my Lord and Saviour ! AVhat reproaches and con- 
tempt didst Thou endure on account of my sins. Thou 
innocent and holy Son of God ! Thou wast led as a lamb 
to the slaughter, yet Thou openedst not Thy mouth. 
Cruel blows and mockery didst Thou bear in silence. O, 
may Thy meekness and Thine uncomplaining patience be 
ever before me, that I may never yield to angry passion 
and thus deny Thee before men. May I become like 
Thee and be thus enabled to bear the scorn of the world 
and the reproaches of them that hate Thee. When I am 
reviled, may I revile not again. May I do good to them 
that injure me, and pray for my enemies. Thou meek 
and lowly Jesus ! may Thy love and patience allay the 
storms of hatred that fill the earth with strife, and shed 
abroad upon the world Thy holy peace. Amen. 

Saturday. Christians, Freed from the Dominion 
of Darkness, should be Followers of God and Children 
of Light. 

1. Be ye therefore followers of Ood, as dear children ; 

2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given 
himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet- 
smelling savour. 

3. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it 
not be once named among you, as becometh saints. 

4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are 
not convenient : but rather giving of thanks. 

5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, 
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the 
kingdom of Christ and of God. 

6. Lfet no man deceive you with vain words : for because of 
these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of dis- 
obedience. 

7. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 

8. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the 
Lord : walk as children of light : 

9. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteous- 
ness and truth ;) (Eph.v. 1-9). 

1. Verses 1 and 2. Christ has overcome the 
strong man armed'' who held us in his power. 



110 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

He delivered us from the kingdom of Satan, for He 
is the Stronger One. We are now freed from the 
dominion of darkness and translated into the 
kingdom of Christ. It was at the cost of no 
slight sacrifice, no trifling conflict. He who is 
the image of God, the firstborn of ever creature, 
in whom dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily, 
interposed in our behalf. Consider how He ago- 
nized in Gethsemane and on Golgotha ; how 
patiently He permitted Himself to be bound by 
wicked men in order that we might escape from 
Satan's bonds ; how meekly He submitted to un- 
righteous condemnation, in order that Satan 
might no longer have power to accuse us ; how 
He shed His blood for us and gave Himself as a 
sacrifice for our sins, that we might be saved. 
Should we not now be followers of God, walking 
in love, as Christ has loved us ? For to this end 
Christ has delivered us from the power of dark- 
ness, that we should henceforth walk as children of 
light. He who remains in his sins is yet under 
the dominioa of darkness, serving the prince of 
this world. 

2. Verses 3-7, Since Christ has at such a sacri- 
fice, by so terrible a conflict and such bitter suf- 
ferings, freed us from the dominion of darkness, 
we should not willingly again take upon us the 
yoke of bondage. The latter state of him who 
permits the evil spirits to return and again take 
him under their control will be worse than the 
first. On the contrary, the whole life of the 



^HIRD WEEK IN LENT. 



Ill 



Christian believer should be a continuous thank- 
offering. We should dedicate our lives without 
reserve to the Lord, who has delivered us from the 
sway of the kingdom of darkness. To Him who 
has freely offered Himself up for us, we should 
offer ourselves as living sacrifices, in order that 
we may at last dwell with Him in eternal glory. 
He who lives unto the world shall perish with the 
world, for the world and its pleasures pass away. 
He who serves sin, and thus also serves the devil, 
shall receive due reward from the master whom 
he serves. The apostle names particularly three 
roots of evil from which in all ages most injuriotis 
and poisonous fruits are produced : fornication, 
uncleanness in speech and avarice. He who com- 
mits such sins as these forsakes the pure and holy 
God, becomes an idolater, and forfeits all part and 
lot in the kingdom of Christ. Let no one of us 
then suffer himself to be betrayed into the service 
of these sins, lest he lose his citizenship in the 
kingdom of Christ, which the Lord has so dearly 
purchased for us and assured to us in Holy Bap- 
tism. 

3. Verses 8 and 9. ' ^ Ye were sometimes dark- 
ness, but now are ye light in the Lord." 0, that 
this word of the Lord might be truthfully applied 
to us. Darkness we are by nature. The Lord has 
brought light into the world, and, if we have truly 
received Him, we are illuminated, become each a 
light in the Lord. Our most inward nature is 
light if He who is the Light of the world dwells 



112 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

in US and we have become one with Him through 
faith. But where the hght is, its shining will be 
seen in the daily life. Where the Holy Spirit 
manifests His power, there are found also the 
fruits of the Spirit, i. e, , Goodness^ or holy love, fill- 
ing the heart. Righteousness in all the conduct of 
life, Truth in every utterance of the lips. The 
presence of these fruits of the Spirit is an evidence 
that we are indeed the children of light. Wher- 
ever love is wanting and where unrighteousness 
and untruthfulness are found, there the kingdom 
of darkness still reigns. Who will dare to claim 
that his heart has been completely illuminated 
by the rays of the eternal Light ? Who is there 
who can find in himself no darkness at all? 
There is need of a daily struggle, that all dark- 
ness may be driven out of our hearts and that all 
may be clear and bright within through the 
gracious in-shining of Jesus Christ, the Light of the 
world. This struggle must continue so long as 
we live on earth. For the deep darkness of our 
natural state and of our evil hearts will not be 
entirely overcome, until, freed from the body of 
this death, we are with the Lord in glory, walking 
in the light eternal. 

PEAYEE. 

Lord Jesus, Thou Light of the World, shine upon us, 
that we may behold Thee as Thou art. Thou art the fairest 
among ten thousand and the One altogether lovely. Yet 
Thy image was marred by the cruelty of men and Thy 
brow was pale with anguish in Gethsemane and upon the 
cross. O, blessed Saviour, what bitter agony was Thine ! 
How didst Thou love us Thus to die for us ! May we 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



113 



render Thee the sacrifices of praise and of a holy Hfe. 
Help us to walk before Thee in purity, and to resist every 
temptation to evil. May we never be found in the com- 
pany of them that hate Thee, but may we be compan- 
ions of all them that love Thee. Give to us pure 
thoughts and holy desires, that we may glorify Thee in our 
daily lives and have an inheritance at last among Thy 
saints on high. Amen. 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 

The Lord feeds the multitude in the wilderness, 
thus pointing prophetically to the giving of Him- 
self for the sins of the world, and picturing for us 
the Holy Supper, in which He offers us as food 
His body given to death for us, and as drink His 
blood shed for us. He is come that we might 
have life, and that we might have it more abun- 
dantly. 

Sunday. The Miraculous Feeding of the Multitude 
in the Wilderness. 

1. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which 
is the sea of Tiberias. 

2. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his 
miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 

3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his 
disciples. 

4. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 

5. When Jesus then lifted up /its eyes, and saw a great company 
come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, 
that these may eat ? 

6. And this he said to prove him : for he himself knew what he 
would do. 

7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is 
not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 

8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith 
unto him, 

9. There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two 
small fishes : but what are they among so many ? 

10. And Jesus said. Make the men sit down. Now there was 
much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about 
five thousand. 

8 



114 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



n. And Jesus took the loaves ; and when he had given thanks, 
he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that 
were set down ; and likewise of the fishes as much as they 
would. 

12. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up 
the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 

13. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve 
baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which 
remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus 
did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into 
the world. 

15. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and 
take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a 
mountain himself alone (John vi. 1-15). 

1. In our meditations of the last week we beheld 
the Lord as the glorious Deliverer from the 
authority and dominion of the devil and from all 
evil. He stands before us to-day as an ever-ready 
Helper and a bountiful Dispenser of grace. Such 
is His work and way, for to this end He came to 
earth, to free us from the power of darkness, to 
deliver us from all evil, and to bestow upon us 
grace and rich gifts of life, abundance, peace, and 
everlasting salvation. In His discharge of both 
these gracious offices, His glory beams brightly 
upon us. 

2. Verses, 1-6. A great multitude followed Him 
as He went up into the mountain, desiring to wit- 
ness the gracious exercise of His miraculous power 
upon the sick and miserable. 0, if it could only 
be said to-day that great multitudes were following 
the Lord! ^^And the passover, a feast of the 
Jews, was nigh," just as we are now approaching 
the Holy Easter time. Then Jesus lifted up His 
eyes and saw a great company come unto Him — 
and He thought at once of their bodily needs, the 
hunger which they must soon feel. The multitude 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



115 



does not ask for bread — He provides for them 
before they ask. He is the perfect embodiment 
of pity and love, and it is His way to help before 
we ask, and more abundantly than we ask or 
think. It was His love, and not our prayers, that 
moved Him to come to earth and become man. 
His love and pity led Him to go down into re- 
proach and sufferings ; no one had asked this of 
Him. All that He has done and suffered for us, 
and all that He is continually offering us from His 
almighty hand, is of grace, free grace. Grace, 
free grace, is the source of all our blessings, 
temporal and spiritual. 

3. Verses 7-15. Philip has no counsel to offer ; 
Andrew as little. ^ ' Five barley loaves and two 
small fishes, ' ' cries the latter in despair, ^ ' what 
are they among so many ? ' ' But the Lord is never 
at a loss for counsel or help in the time of need, 
. even though the whole world were hopelessly per- 
plexed. Therefore is it that He is called : '^ Won- 
derful, Counsellor, the Mighty God." Even here 
in the wilderness He is able to provide abundantly. 

The people must be seated, for God is a God of 
order; and there, as always and everywhere among 
His people, becoming order must be observed. 
His regulations and ordinances are always fitting 
and adapted for our good. Adapt thyself to them 
and thou shalt receive blessing as did the people 
in the wilderness. 

He then takes the bread and gives thanks. He 
stands there as a house-father in the midst of His 



116 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

large family, and teaches to receive and give with 
thanksgiving. ' ' The Lord gives thanks for the 
bread which He distributes to others ; dost thou 
always give thanks for that which thou dost eat ? 
We, too, should give thanks as we offer our gifts 
to the poor whom the Lord sends to our door. 
The bread which we give should be the bread of 
thanksgiving, and the cup of cold water which we 
offer a cup of thanksgiving. For to be able to give 
is a joy and blessing well worthy of our warmest 
expressions of gratitude. It is more blessed to 
give than to receive ; he who gives should, there- 
fore, render heartier thanksgivings unto God than 
he who receives" (Lohe). 

After giving thanks. He begins to distribute. 
The disciples again and again receive bread from 
His holy hands, carry it out to the people, and 
return. His hand is never empty until the whole 
company of five thousand men are fully satisfied 
— and there are twelve basketfuls remaining. 
What gracious abundance ! The Lord is always 
thus rich and bountiful in all His gifts of grace 
and blessing, and from His hand we are contin- 
ually receiving food for our bodies and spiritual 
blessings 4f or our souls. It is so beautifully human, 
that the Lord should have pity upon the people 
and think even of their common bodily needs ; it 
is so beautifully divine, that He should stand in 
the midst of the hungering multitude, with hands of 
blessing, distributing food, multiplying the scanty 
store by His miraculous power until all were filled ! 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



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4. That which was here done for the bodily 
comfort of men is continually repeated in a 
spiritual way in the Church of Christ. As the 
hunger of the multitude in the wilderness was 
stilled, so the Lord satisfies with life, peace and 
joy all those who love Him. In Him we find 
fullness of life, and none but He can still the deep 
yearnings of the soul that longs for the grace of 
God. Our lesson to-day directs our thoughts upon 
this spiritual nourishment, to which the Saviour 
refers in the discourse which follows the perform- 
ing of the miracle. He here teaches us that He is 
Himself the true Bread of Life, which alone can 
satisfy our hunger. In giving Himself for us, He 
gives to us all that He has won by His deep 
humiliation, and especially by the sacrifice of 
Himself upon the cross. He gives Himself to us 
spiritually in the Word, bodily in the sacrament 
of His body and blood, in order that body and 
spirit, which were both ruined in the fall, may 
through Him be sanctified and preserved unto 
everlasting life. Thus He stands to-day in the 
midst of His holy Church, as in the wilderness in 
days of old, with blessings in His hands. He 
gives to His servants, the ministers of the Church, 
who of themselves have nothing whatever to give, 
the living bread of His Word, and they bear it 
forth to all that hunger for it. No soul remains 
unsatisfied. He places in the hands of His ser- 
vants the sacrament of His body and blood, and 
they go forth to all the people gathered unto the 



118 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



Lord from every land and tongue, offering them 
the blessed food and distributmg the wonderful 
drink of life ; and every hungering soul is satisfied 
and everyone that thirsts is refreshed. And yet 
the supply is never exhausted, and the Lord never 
grows weary of distributing the rich gifts of His 
grace. 

: PRAYER. 

Merciful and gracious God, our Heavenly Father, we 
render praise and thanksgiving unto Thee, that Thou hast 
sent to us from heaven in the person of Thy dear Son, 
Jesus Christ, the true Bread of Life. grant us Thy 
quickening grace, that we may earnestly long for this 
Bread from heaven, and refresh Thou every fainting soul. 
Dwell Thou richly within our hearts, O Lord our Saviour. 
Grant that we may in Thee have life abundantly. We 
thank Thee that Thou hast to-da}^ fed us with Thy holy 
Word. May it strengthen us in our faith, and enable us 
to grow in all spiritual graces that we may become more 
worthy to bear Thy name, and that our humble service 
may be acceptable in Thy sight. In Thee we live. May 
we be Thine forever. Amen. 

Monday. Jesus Christ is the True Bi^ead of Life, 
Stilling all the Hunger of the Soul and Imparting 
Abundance of Life. 

35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that 
Cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me 
shall never thirst. 

36. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe 
not. 

37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me ; and him 
that Cometh to me I vvill in no wise cast out. 

38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but 
the will of him that sent me. 

39. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all 
which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise 
it up again at the last day. 

40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one 
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting 
life : and I will raise him up at the last day. 

41. The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the 
bread which came down from heaven. 

42. And they said. Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose 
father and mother we know ? how is it then that he saith, I came 
down from heaven ? 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



119 



43. Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not 
among yourselves. 

44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent 
me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day. 

45. It is written in the prophets. And they shall be all taught 
of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of 
the Father, cometh unto me. 

46. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of 
God; he hath seen the Father. 

47. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath 
everlasting life. 

48. I am that bread of life. 

49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are 
dead. 

50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that 
a man may eat thereof, and not die (John vi. 35-50). 

1. Verses 35 and 36. The Lord had fed the multi- 
tude in the wilderness. On the following day 
great throngs again gathered about Him. After 
His usual manner. He makes the outward miracle 
of the bodily feeding the basis of instruction in 
spiritual things, showing the people, and showing 
us, how and where may be received that true 
spiritual food, in which our souls may find fullest 
satisfaction in time and eternity. ^ ^ I am the 
Bread of Life,'' says the Lord. With Him may 
all that hunger be fed till satisfied and all the 
thirsty be refreshed abundantly. No earthly good 
can satisfy the inmost longings of the soul. True 
peace is nowhere to be found but with Jesus. He 
who lays hold upon Christ in faith has all that he 
needs. But, alas ! so many know nothing of this 
hunger and thirst of the soul, but say in their 
hearts : ^ ^ I am ricli and increased with goods, and 
have need of nothing." Hence they will not 
come to Him who so lovingly offers Himself to 
them as the true Bread of Life. 

2. Verses 37 -4-0. We have all been given to 



120 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

Christ by God, our heavenly Father, if we only 
allow ourselves to be thus given and do not refuse 
to be His. He will turn away no one who comes 
to Him, however poor and miserable. True, the 
courage to approach Him would fail us if we 
looked only upon ourselves and our sins ; but He 
invites us so kindly. He has so humbly conde- 
scended to our lowliness, that we may well venture 
at all times to draw near to Him. He whose grace 
accepted the thief upon the cross will not cast us off. 
0, that all would come to Him ! He offers such 
precious gifts — resurrection and eternal life ! He 
who has Christ in faith can never die, and even 
his poor body must rise again, since the living 
forces of the Saviour's body and life have perme- 
ated it. 

• 3. Verses J^l-JfS, He who would taste the grace 
of Christ must not, like the Jews, take offense at 
His lowHness, nor rashly declare His coming from 
heaven impossible. By thus despising the Lord, 
thousands in our day close to themselves the only 
way that leads to life. When the Father draws 
us to the Son, we should yield to the divine im- 
pulse and draw near. His love so often invites 
and draws us. His Spirit moves our hearts 
whenever we hear the Word of God with its invi- 
tations, threatenings and admonitions ; whenever 
in trials and distress we vainly sigh and seek for 
help and comfort ; when in solemn moments the 
sinful depths of our own hearts are revealed to us ; 
when thoughts of the coming judgment arouse us 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



121 



from our security. Thus the Father draws us to 
the Son, not with compulsion, but with loving 
invitations. But we must allow ourselves to be 
drawn — that is all that we can do for our salva- 
tion. On the contrary, we so often resist the 
grace of God and reject the hand that is out- 
stretched to lead us to Christ, and thus to life. 

4. Verses 47-50. The Lord now summarizes 
His discourse in a few words : ^ ^ He that believeth 
on me hath everlasting life. " He that " — thus 
the Lord lovingly invites each one of us ; no one 
is excluded. We must "believe" — thus all 
works of merit and all self-righteousness are con- 
demned. ^ ' On me, ' ' saith the Lord — upon Him, 
who is true God and true man, who died for us 
and rose again, and upon His work must we re- 
pose all our trust and confidence, accepting Him 
entirely. He calls Himself the Bread of Life, in 
order that we may learn that as bread nourisiies 
the body by entering into it, so should we by faith 
take the Lord into ourselves, that He may perme- 
ate and sanctify our whole life. He who thus 
beheves on Him has eternal hf e, for he has Christ, 
and Christ is life. 

PRAYEK. 

O, holy and merciful Father, who hast no pleasure in 
our death, but wouldst have us turn to Thee and live, in 
deep humility we praise Thy grace, that Thou didst not 
spare Thine only-begotten Son, but didst freely give Him 
up as a sacrifice for us all, and as a ransom for our sins. 
Lord Jesus Christ, we praise Thee that Thou didst come 
in love and mercy to seek and to save the lost. By Thy 
death upon the cross Thou hast reconciled us to God. 



122 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



Do Thou now remember us in our weakness and grant us 
faith to receive Thee into ever closer fellowship. May 
our souls feast on Thee, Thou Living Bread, that we 
may. be transformed into Thy likeness. May Thy peace be 
shed abroad in our hearts and Thy love uphold us, that 
we may never die ; for though our flesh shall slumber in 
the tomb, we know that Thou wilt raise us up at the Last 
Day. Then, in the world of everlasting life, we will 
praise Thee more acceptably for the rich gifts of Thy 
love. Amen. 

Tuesday. He Who in Faith Partakes of the Flesh 
and Blood of Christ has Eternal Life^ for He has 
Christ. 

51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven : if any 
man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever : and the bread that I 
will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 

52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How 
can this man give us his flesh to eat ? 

53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye 
have no life in you. 

54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal 
life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. 

55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 

56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in 
me, and I in him. 

57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father : 
so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 

58. This is that bread which came down from heaven : not as 
your fathers did eat manna, and are dead : he that eateth of this 
bread shall live for ever ijohn vi. 51-58). 

1. Verses 51-53. He who in true faith receives 
Christ, the true Bread of Life, has eternal hfe and 
w^ill be raised up at the Last Day ; for Christ is the 
resurrection and the hfe. Genuine faith unites us 
with the entire Christ, not with His power and 
divinity alone, but with Him who is true God and 
true man in most intimate union. Faith receives 
Him (John i. 12); puts Him on (Rom. xiii. 14); 
places us in Him (Rom. viii. 1; Phil. iii. 9); 
moves the Lord to take up His abode within us 
( John xiv. 23); so that He may live in us (Gal. 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



123 



ii. 20). We so lay hold upon the entire Christ by 
faith that we become '^members of His body, of 
His flesh and of His bones'' (Eph. v. 30). It is 
primarily and chiefly this partaking of Jesus Christ 
in faith that is spoken of in the verses before us. 
He who does not in faith eat Him, partake of His 
flesh, i. e.^ His life. Himself, given for the life of 
the world in His sacrifice upon the cross, and fully 
take Him into himself, has no life abiding in 
him. Body and soul have through sin become 
subject to death. That which is born of the flesh 
is flesh and cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 
But Jesus Christ took upon Himself flesh and 
blood and gave Himself to death for us, in order 
that our sinful nature might be sanctified by His 
holy nature, and that our bodies and souls might 
be permeated by His life, and we be thus spiritually 
and bodily transformed into His nature. He who 
does not thus partake of Christ remains in death. 

2. Although such spiritual partaking of Christ 
by faith is the immediate subject of our Saviour's 
discourse, we all feel that His words have a further 
significance. They have prophetic reference to the 
Holy Supper which the Lord was about to institute 
before His departure. This does not indeed ex- 
clude the eating in faith, but includes it. The par- 
taking of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy 
Supper is a blessing to us only when it is received 
in faith. This supreme gift of grace brings only 
condemnation upon the unbelieving. For ^' he 
that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 



124 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

drinketh damnation unto himself.'' In the Holy- 
Supper the Lord, our God and Saviour, comes 
down wholly to meet with us. For the strength- 
ening of our timid faith He has sacramentally 
included His holy body and His precious blood 
in the visible elements of the bread and wine. 
Not common flesh and blood, corrupted like our 
own by sin, does the Lord give us, but His flesh 
and blood, which is holy, permeated by His eternal 
divinity, and has therefore power to give us life. 
He gives himself to us not only spiritually, but 
also bodily, because soul and body are to be trans- 
formed into His image. When we partake of Him 
in the Holy Supper, ' ' He is not transformed, but 
He transforms us, the soul into righteousness, the 
body into immortality. ' ' 

3. Verses 5i-58. The Lord four times repeats 
His mysterious declaration concerning the par- 
taking of His flesh and blood, in order to impress 
us with its great importance. What the blessings 
are which we are to enjoy from this most intimate 
union wdth Him, the Lord thus describes : ^ ^ Whoso 
eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath 
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last 
day." '^He dwelleth in me, and I in him." 
^ ^ He shall live by me for ever. ' ' He in us and w^e 
in Him — therefore all that is His is ours also. 
His obedience and holy life. His sacrifice and 
death. His resurrection and eternal glory, are all 
our owai, since He has given Himself to us. He 
is risen from the dead — we cannot therefore remain 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



125 



in the grave. He lives eternally — we must there- 
fore through Him live to all eternity. The Lord 
grant that His rich and gracious promises may 
be fulfilled in us all. 

PRAYER. 

Lord our Saviour, in Thee only is life. Thou hast 
come into a world of sin and death, to deliver us from our 
misery and from the powers of evil. Do Thou feed our 
souls with heavenly manna, that we may be strong to 
resist temptation and may not return again to the beggarly 
elements of the world. Thou hast promised that who- 
soever Cometh to Thee shall never hunger. We come to 
Thee, dear Lord, in humble faith, that we may be fed and 
may grow strong in the power of Thy might. Have com- 
passion upon us, for we are weak. Look upon us in mercy, 
for we are full of sin, and are in no wise worthy of Thy 
favor. In Thee is fullness of life. Impart unto us, that we 
may live forever. Amen. 

Wednesday. Passion History. Part X. Evidence 
that Christ is the Son of God. 

And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief 
priests and the scribes came together in the palace of Caiaphas 
the high-priest, and led him before their council. And the high- 
priest and the elders and the whole council sought false witness 
against Jesus to put him to death, but found none. Yea, though 
many false witnesses came, yet found they none ; for their wit- 
ness agreed not together. At the last came two false witnesses 
and said. This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, 
and to build it in three days. But neither so did their witness 
agree together. And the high-priest arose and said unto him, 
Answerest thou nothing ? What is it which these witness 
against thee ? But Jesus held his peace, and answered nothing. 
And the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes 
said, Art thou the Christ ? Tell us. And he said unto them, If I 
tell you, ye will not believe : and if I also ask you, ye will not 
answer me, nor let me go. Then said they all. Art thou then the 
Son of God ? Again the high-priest said unto him, I adjure thee 
by thi living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, 
the Son of the Blessed God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast 
said : I am. Nevertheless I say unto you. Hereafter shall ye see 
the Son of man sitting on the throne of the power of God and 
coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high-priest rent his 
clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy : what further need 
have we of witnesses ? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 
What think ye? And they all condemned him, and answered 
and said. He is guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, 



126 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

and to cover his face, and to say unto him, Prophesy unto us, 
thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee ? And the servants did 
strike him with the palms of their hands (Matt. xxvi. 57-68 — 
Mark xiv. 53-65— Luke xxii. 65-71). 

1. The Lord stands before Caiaphas the high- 
priest and the chief council of the Jews. It had 
been already determined that He should be put to 
death. It ^Yas only as a matter of form that search 
was made for witnesses against Him. But none 
were found. Not even His enemies could find any 
flaw in His holy life. At length two false wit- 
nesses appear, but their testimony is conflicting, 
and the Lord calmly holds His peace. The poor 
condemned prisoner, by His glorious majesty, 
perplexes the whole company of His unjust judges. 
He maintains unbroken silence ; His silence is 
itself a condemnation. When He is silent, it is 
because He has given over the souls of those before 
Him to destruction ; for, until all is lost, He still 
knocks at the heart's door, alluring with His gentle 
words of love. ''When Jesus answered nothing. 
His silence was that of a lamb ; but when He 
answered. He taught as a shepherd. He must be 
silent in the Passion, since He shall not be silent 
in the Judgment ; for He — who will one day come 
to judge — had come to be judged'' (Augustine). 

2. In sorest perplexity Caiaphas at length puts 
Jesus under oath, saying, ''I adjure thee by the 
living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the 
Christ, the Son of God, the Blessed." The Lord 
honors the existing government even as represented 
in His unjust judge, and does not refuse to recog- 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



127 



nize the obligations of the oath thus imposed upon 
Him. ''Thou sayest it ; lam." He thus sol- 
emnly confirms by an oath the acknowledgment 
that He is the promised Messiah, the only-begotten, 
eternal Son of God. We rejoice that, in addition 
to all other clear evidences of His divinity, we 
have this testimony — a solemn oath from the 
mouth in which no deceit was ever found. Before 
.such testimony must be silenced all the forms of 
unbelief which turn to right and left, acknowl- 
edging Christ as a divine teacher and prophet, the 
best of all men, even the Saviour — anything short 
of the simple and honest confession : "I believe 
that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father 
from eternity, and also true man, born of the 
Virgin Mary, is my Lord." To the Jews this 
testimony of the Lord was a savor of death unto 
death. May it be to us a firm support of faith, a 
shield against all the doubts that spring from an 
evil heart, a weapon against all the contradictions 
and slanders of the world. 

3. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sit- 
ting at the right hand of the power of God, and 
coming in the clouds of heaven." Thus the Lord 
proclaims His credentials as the Son of God in His 
glory. And the members of this chief council of 
the Jews beheld His glor}^, as have all His enemies 
since that day. The eternal power and glory of 
the Crucified have been made manifest to all in 
the signs on Calvary, in the outpouring of the 
Holy Spirit, in the Church's victories. Thus the 



128 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

Son of man has been revealed and has come in 
His kingdom, and so shall it always be until His 
final visible coming in the clouds of heaven. 
Blessed shall he then be who has believed the 
Saviour's oath before the high-priest. 

4. ^ ' He hath spoken blasphemy. He is worthy 
of death." If Christ were really, as many say, 
no more than an extraordinary man, then this 
verdict of the Jews would have been a true one, 
and He would have been a blasphemer. There 
must be here a clear line of demarcation. ^ ^ Either 
the Scriptures are right and Christ is true God, or 
the Scriptures are wrong and He is a blasphemer. 
There is here no middle path. Either believe and 
cast safe anchor to the right, or deny and suffer 
shipwreck to the left" (Besser). Let him who 
would be saved say : ' ' Lord, I believe ; help 
Thou mine unbelief. ' ' 

5. Christ was condemned because He ^'made 
Himself the Son of God." In reality and truth, 
the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, 
was the real cause of His death. For God sent 
His Son into the world, that He might become 
our Saviour and suffer death for us, in order that 
He might by His death deliver us from sin, death, 
and the power of the devil. 

PRAYER. 

dear Lord ! Thou didst submit to be judged by- 
mortal worms and pronounced " worthy of death." This 
horrible judgment was not for Thee, but for me. How 
keenly do the words pierce my soul ! Like a two-edged 
sword, they cut and wound my heart. I am the guilty 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



129 



one, for whom Thou didst become substitute and surety. 
Against me, as guilty of death, an accusing conscience 
and the broken Law, and the insulted majesty of God, cry 
out. Thou, Holy One of Israel, guilty of death ! Ah, 
where shall I hide myself for shame, that upon Thine 
innocent head such dreadful sentence should be pro- 
nounced. Whither shall I flee to shield myself from the 
terrible judgment: "He is guilty of death!" Ah, 
whither but to Thy cross, that I may hide myself in 
Thine open wounds ! I am guilty, but Thou didst for me, 
and in my stead, suffer death upon the cross, that I might 
not die. O, Thou who art the Christ, the Son of God, 
when Thou comest to judge the world, cast me not away 
from Thy presence, but have mercy upon me, and give 
me a place among those whose guilt is pardoned and who 
are justified and saved by faith in Thee, the innocent and 
suffering Saviour of the world. Amen. 

Thursday. Passion History. Part XL Peter 
Denies His Lord. 

And Simon Peter followed Jesus afar off, and so did another dis- 
ciple, to the palace of the high-priest. But Peter stood at the 
door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was 
known unto the high-priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, 
and brought in Peter. And the servants and officers stood there, 
who had made a fire of coals in the midst of the hall, for it was 
cold, and were set down together and warmed themselves. 
And Peter sat down with the servants and warmed himself at the 
fire to see the end. And one of the maids of the high-priest, the 
damsel that kept the door, when she saw Peter warming himself 
at the fire, looked upon him and said, Art not thou also one of 
this man's disciples ? Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth 
from Galilee. Yea, this fellow was also with him. But he 
denied before them all, and said. Woman, I am not, and I know 
not what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch, and the 
cock crew. And when he was gone out into the porch, another 
maid saw him, and said unto them that were there. This fellow 
was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And the damsel that kept the 
door saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by. This 
is one of them. And after a little while another saw him and said, 
Thou art also one of them. (Then Peter took his place again 
among the servants before the fire.) And he stood and warmed 
himself. And they said unto him, Art not thou also one of his 
disciples ? And again he denied with an oath, and said, I am not ; 
I. do not know the man. And after a little while, about tne space 
of one hour, another confidently affirmed. Of a truth, this fellow 
also was with him, for he is a Galilean, Then came unto him 
they that stood by and said to him. Surely thou also art one of 
them, for thy speech agreeth thereto and betrayeth thee. One of 
the servants of the high-priest, being his kinsman, whose ear 
Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him ? 
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man 
of whom ye speak. And immediately, while he yet spake, the 





130 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

cock crew. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And 
Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before 
the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went 
out, and when he thought thereon he wept bitterly (Matt. xxvi. 
58; 69-75— Mark xiv. 54; 66-72— Luke xxii. 54-62— John xviii. 15-18; 
25-27). 

1. The floods of .suffering roll with increasing 
fury about the Lord. More bitter, assuredly, 
than all the reproach which his enemies cast upon 
Him was the faithlessness of His discipleSj particu- 
larly the denial of Peter, whom He had Himself 
named the man of rock. We are familiar with 
the fiery, impetuous nature of this man, his 
courageous spirit. But his heart is yet un- 
broken. He yet trusts in his own power, and 
hence his fall. Satan, too, sifted him most 
severely. Whichever way he turned temptation 
beset him, and because he forgot to watch and 
pray, because his courage was not rooted in true 
humility, because he relied not upon the grace of 
Christ, but upon his own strength, he fell in the 
hour of temptation. It is the deepest fall re- 
corded in the Scriptures of any servant of God. 
To us it is above all a mirror, in w^hich we 
may see how poor and weak is our heart, 
when it depends upon its own strength and 
virtue. 0, how often have we not, too, by our 
sins, denied the Lord ! We should learn from 
the example of Peter that no Christian dare live in 
false security, and that it is better, with Paul, to 
boast of our weakness, that the power of Christ 
may be revealed in us. 

The fall of Peter is, further, a humiliation for us 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



131 



all, for we can here see how deceitful and desper- 
ately wicked is the human heart. Who will dare 
to account himself stronger and better than Peter, 
the man of rock ? 

We should take warning, finally, from this sad 
example, never to think ourselves secure. ' ' Watch 
and pray, that 3^e enter not into temptation." 
' ' Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed 
lest he fall.'' 

■ 2. Peter falls, but he does not sink beyond 
hope. The Lord does not permit him to be 
snatched out of His hand. He turns and looks 
upon him with wondrous, divine love, just when 
he most needs help. The crowing of the cock had 
already awakened the conscience of the poor dis- 
ciple ; this glance from the eye of the Saviour 
breaks his heart. And what a look must that 
have been ! By it the Lord expressed to His fallen 
disciple all that he had to say to him in that 
hour : ^ ' Peter, dost thou remember what I said to 
thee ? Dost thou thus requite my love ? Is this 
the fidelity to me y\^hich thou hast sworn to pre- 
serve ? Behold, I am going to death for thee — and 
thou deniest me ? Even thou, my beloved Disciple, 
thou man of rock, provest faithless ! Be a man. 
Yet there is time. Behold, I have prayed for 
thee. Yet there is time. Let me hft thee up, my 
poor fallen follower!" All of this was in that 
look of Jesus — but who can worthily interpret it ? 
Peter understands his Lord. The straying sheep 
permits the Shepherd's love to find it. His heart 



132 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

is broken. There remains not a shred of confi- 
dence in his own strength. He bows down in 
humility, buries his head in his hands, and 
weeps tears of the deepest grief and penitence. 
Peter goes forth from that hour a new man. He 
has become weak, and just in consequence of that 
has grown strong in the Lord. God has humbled 
him, and thereby made him great. ' ^ The fall of 
Peter should terrify the strongest Christians ; his 
restoration at the hand of Jesus should fill the 
most wretched sinner with good cheer (Besser). 
May the Lord grant us after every fall the godly 
sorrow of St. Peter, with tears of true repentance, 
and comfort us by His loving glance, as He 
comforted Peter, until we are welcomed at last 
into His glorious presence, where, delivered from 
all evil, we can no more fall nor sin. 

PEAYEE. 

My Lord and my God ! Let me not fall from Thy 
grace. I am weak and sinful, but Thou art merciful and 
mighty. I flee for refuge to Thee. Do Thou preserve 
me for the sake of the shed blood of Thy dear Son. 
Lord Jesus ! Thou didst drink for me the bitter cup of 
suffering. Thou hast redeemed me at the cost of agoniz- 
ing struggles, of scornful persecutions and of awful 
death amid unutterable torments — and I — alas ! I have 
forgotten Thee and have often denied Thee by open sins 
and by shameless unbelief. I have been unwilling to 
endure the reproaches of them that reproach Thee, and 
I have murmured beneath the cross which Thy followers 
are called to bear. 0, do Thou in mercy forgive me, and 
make me faithful to Thee. If in days to come I should 
in any evil hour forget Thee or deny Thee, do Thou 
look upon me in love and pity, that I may, like Peter, 
shed tears of penitence and taste again Thy pardoning 
love. 0, strengthen me. Dear Lord, that I may serve 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



133 



Thee in this life and at length behold Thee in Thy glory. 
Amen. 

Friday. Passion History. Part XII. The End 
of Judas. 

And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consul- 
tation with the elders and scribes and the whole council against 
Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and led him 
away into the hall of judgment, and delivered him to Pontius 
Pilate, the governor. And it was early. And they themselves 
went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled ; but 
that they might eat the passover. Then Judas, which had be- 
trayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented him- 
self and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief 
priests and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed 
the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us ? See 
thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, 
and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief 
priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put 
them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And 
they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to 
bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of 
blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken 
byjeremy. the prophet, saying. And they took the thirty pieces of 
silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the 
children of Israel did value ; and gave them for the potter's field, 
as the Lord appointed me (Matt, xxvii. i-io — Mark xv. i — Luke 
xxiii. I— John xviii. 28). 

1. ^'For godly sorrow worketh repentance to 
salvation not to be repented of ; but the sorrow of 
the world worketh death.'' Peter furnishes an 
example of the first kind ; Judas of the second. Ju- 
das repented, but his sorrow was only a sorrow of 
the world. He was grieved, not because he had 
sinned so terribly, but because he saw the gulf of 
perdition yawning before him. He mourned, not 
on account of his sin, but on account of its conse- 
quences. He trembles at the thought of his own 
deed. He is filled with dread. He sees before 
him a life of torment, and the terrors of con- 
science and desj^air more and more enshroud his 
soul in darkness. He goes to the chief priests 
and elders, his partners in crime, instead of to 



134 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

Him who alone could have forgiven and blotted 
out his sin. 0, that Judas had been wilhng to 
repent. The merciful Saviour, who said, ' ' Him 
that Cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out," 
would not have turned away even His betrayer. 
He who accepted the thief upon the cross would 
have had consolation even for the soul of a Judas. 
His blood, which cleanses from all unrighteous- 
ness, would have had power to wash even Judas 
clean from his awful sin. But to the only One 
who can help Judas will not go. He hates Him, 
because it is on His account that he now suffers 
such torment of soul. Thus many in our day 
scorn to seek the only One who can give forgive- 
ness, life and salvation, and would rather be lost 
with Judas than fall humbly in the dust before 
the Saviour. 

2. Judas is compelled against his will to 
acknowledge the perfect innocence of Jesus. If 
he could only have found a single fault in Him 
he would have found some alleviation of his tor- 
ment. But he can discover not a single flaw. 
''I have betrayed the innocent blood" — the tes- 
timony has double weight, coming from the lips 
of the betrayer. 

3. The chief priests and elders repel the be- 
trayer : What is that to us ? See thou to it," 
they unblushingly reply, as though they were not 
partners in his crime. They themselves call the 
wages of the betrayer ^' blood-money," and do 
not venture to place the thirty pieces of silver 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



135 



which Judas cast at their feet in the treasury of 
the temple. They thereby condemn the sin, but 
in their bhndness do not perceive that they are 
themselves most deeply involved in its horrible 
iniquity. So it is ever in the world- — sin enough, 
but no knowledge of sin, and thereiore no repent- 
ance and no forgiveness. How often are we en- 
snared in the sins of others and do not observe it ! 
We dare never say, ' ' What is that to us ? " for 
we have only too much to do with the sins of our 
times. They form a common burden resting upon 
us all. Our Lord and Saviour did not think, 
^'What have I to do with that?^' or He would 
never for our sakes have become a poor child of 
man, nor endure a death on the cross for us. He, 
in pity, took our sins upon Himself, and thus be- 
stowed the gift of life upon us. 

4. Distress and torment of soul drive Judas to 
the last extreme. He goes out and hangs himself. 
An immortal soul sinks into eternal perdition ! 
Lost forever — when he might have sat with Peter 
and all the holy apostles upon the twelve thrones 
judging the tribes of Israel. He was called to 
glory, and chose perdition ! 

That one of His disciples should be lost was 
one of the deepest sorrows of the Lord. We 
should give good heed lest we cause Him like 
pain. May the Lord grant us His grace, that we 
may not be lost, like Judas, but repent, like 
Peter. The anguish of a Judas leads to eternal 
death ; the tears of a Peter to eternal life. 



136 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASdN. 



PRAYEE. 

0, Thou faithful Friend, who, having loved Thy dis- 
ciples from the beginning, lovest them unto the end, 
have compassion upon us in our weakness. Thou knowest 
our hearts, that they are deceitful and desperately wicked. 
May we not trust in an arm of flesh, but in Thee alone. 
Thou hast given us a place among thy disciples. Thou 
callest us friends and preparest Thy table before us in the 
presence of our enemies. 0, strengthen us, that we may 
never desert Thee nor betray Thee. Lord, preserve 
Thy people from the traitor's kiss in the false friendships 
of the world. May those who bear Thy name be Thine 
in deed and in truth, and have no part nor lot with the 
workers of iniquity. May Thine enemies be their ene- 
mies, and may they be willing to go with Thee to perse- 
cution and death. May none follow in the footsteps of 
the son of perdition, and be lost forever, but, faithful 
unto death, may we all receive at last the crown of life. 
Amen. 

Saturday. He who would Find Life and its Full- 
ness in the Fellowship of the Lord must Hope Only in 
His Mercy, and must Accept as a Child Whatever the 
Free Grace of God Extends to Him. 

21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear 
the law ? 

22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a 
bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 

23. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh ; 
but he of the freewoman was by promise. 

24. Which things are an allegory : for these are the two cove- 
nants ; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bond- 
age, which is Agar. 

25. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to 
Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 

26. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother 
of us all. 

27. For it is written, Rejoice, fhou barren that bearest not ; break 
forth and cry, thou that travailest not : for the desolate hath 
many more children than she which hath an husband. 

28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 

29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him 
thai was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 

30. Nevertheless what saith the scripture ? Cast out the bond- 
woman and her son : for the son of the bondwoman shall not be 
heir with the son of the freewoman. 

31. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, 
but of the free (Gal. iv. 21-31). 

1. With the Lord is fullness of life. As He fed 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



137 



the multitude in the wilderness till they all were 
filled, so He is continually offering to His follow- 
ers the bread of life. He secured for us this 
gracious bread at a terrible price. It cost Him 
His own precious blood. He earned it by great 
toil and suffering. But it is offered to us for 
naught, as a gift of free grace. All that we can 
do in the matter is to accept the gift which He 
offers to us and receive what His hand of grace 
presents to us. But we are so often unwilling to 
live from His grace alone. It is hard for our 
proud hearts to accept everything as a free gift, 
and so we easily fall back again into the way of 
legality, resting our hope not upon the Lord, but 
upon our own deeds and merit. But reproach is 
thereby cast upon Christ ; His sufferings and 
death are declared of no avail for us ; His blood 
trodden under foot, and the grace of God rejected. 

If righteousness come by the Law, then Christ 
is dead in vain.'' The Galatians had fallen into 
such false legality, and were therefore in danger of 
losing the free grace of God. The apostle there- 
fore in our epistle points out to them that even 
under the Old Covenant salvation was attributed 
to grace. 

2. Verses 21-25. St. Paul interprets in a won- 
derful way and in exalted spirit the history of 
Abraham, his wife Sarah, and his bondwoman 
Hagar. Hagar represents the old covenant, and 
Sarah the new. Hagar' s son was born of the 
flesh in the ordinary course of nature. As son of 



138 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON/ 

the bondwoman, he \Yas not free but a servant. 
Thus the old covenant on Sinai was one in which 
the natural law was enforced, ''Which statutes if 
a man do, he shall hve in them.'' The children 
of the old covenant are therefore servants and not 
freemen, for they are called upon to secure salva- 
tion by their own works and merit. The Jews 
were servants of God and could be nothing more 
until the day of grace should dawn, when the 
mercy of God should accept them as children. 
'' But when the fulness of the time was come, God 
sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under 
the law, to redeem them that were under the 
law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ' ' 
He who insists upon securing salvation by the 
works of the Law, who is too proud to accept the 
grace so freely offered, remains in bondage and 
can never become a child of God. 

3. Verses 26-28. In this allegory, Sarah repre- 
sents the new covenant, the covenant of grace, 
the Church of God. The question is now no more 
one of legal right, but of free mercy. Just as 
Isaac was not born in the ordinary course of 
nature, but in fulfillment of a wonderful promise 
and through the grace of God, so do we become 
children of God and of the new covenant, not 
through the natural course of the Law, but by vir- 
tue of the promise and free grace of God. Are 
we children of God and citizens in His holy city, 
the true Jerusalem, the Church of Christ, which 
has its secure centre in heaven above ? Then have 



FOURTH WEEK IN LENT. 



139 



we also a share in all the blessings of grace which 
He has so dearly purchased for us. He has pre- 
pared His Zion to be a true Mother to all her 
children, who shall from time to time, through 
the sacred means of grace, be born in her as the 
dew is born from the morning dawn. Through 
the hands of Zion He dispenses His rich grace 
and satisfies the spiritual thirst of all His people. 
With His own flesh and blood He nourishes and 
satisfies the children of His promise. We need 
only come as the poor in spirit, hungering and 
thirsting. ' He has filled abundantly the hands of 
our Mother, the Holy Church, and is still, as in 
the wilderness, placing in the hands of His minis- 
ters the Bread of Life. It is only required of us 
that we draw near to Him as His children and 
hope in His grace. 

4. Verses 29-81. Those who hope to be saved 
through the Law and their own works and merit 
shall miserably fail. As Hagar was driven out 
and her son could not inherit with Isaac, the son 
of the promise, so can we not obtain our blessed 
eternal inheritance through the Law, but only 
through the free grace of God. We are children 
of the free woman, of the new covenant. All the 
blessings of the Lord's grace are prepared for us. 
Let us only in simplicit}^ of heart accept and pre- 
serve what the Lord bestows upon us. His free 
grace is the foundation of our hope. Freely and 
without any merit of our own He gives us life and 
its rich blessings in His Church on earth, but 



140 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



more gloriously still and to all eternity in His 
heavenly Jerusalem, in the eternal City of God, 
with its gates of pearl, its golden streets and the 
holy light of grace which shall shine on forever. 
Blessed shall he be who shall share in this inheri- 
tance of grace in the eternal City of God. 

PRAYER. 

Our blessed Redeemer, we would bring to Thee our 
tribute of thanksgiving and praise. Thou didst come 
from Thy throne in the heavens to save us. Thou, the 
Lord of Glory, wast delivered into the hands of wicked 
men. Thine own disciples denied Thee, forsook Thee 
and betrayed Thee ; but Thou wast faithful unto death. 
Thou hast redeemed us. Thou hast made us free from 
the law of sin and death. Thou hast given us a place in 
Thy kingdom among them that are sanctified. do 
Thou help us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Thou 
hast made us free. Enable us to serve Thee in holiness 
of heart and purity of life. Sustained by Thy free grace, 
may we be kept faithful to the end and welcomed to 
eternal joy in Thy heavenly Kingdom. Amen. 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 

Christ testifies His divine glory in attributing to 
Himself sinlessness, truthfulness, the power to 
give life, fullness of knowledge, honor from His 
heavenly Father and eternity. The apostle John 
has preserved for us some of these testimonies of 
Christ concerning Himself. 

Sunday. Christ Sjieaks of His Divine Glory. 

46. Which of you convinceth me of sin ? And if I say the truth, 
why do ye not believe me ? 

47. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear 
them not, because ye are not of God. 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



141 



48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not 
well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil ? 

49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil ; but I honour my Father, 
and ye do dishonour me. 

50. And I seek not mine own glory : there is one that seeketh 
and judgeth. 

51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he 
shalt never see death. 

52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast 
a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets ; and thou sayest, If 
a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 

53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead ? 
and the prophets are dead : whom makest thou thyself? 

54. Jesus answered. If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: 
it is my Father that honoureth me ; of whom ye say, that he is 
your God : 

55. Yet ye have not known him ; but I know him : and if I should 
say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you : but I know 
him, and keep his saying. 

56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day : and he saw it, 
and was glad. 

57. Then said the Jews unto him. Thou art not yet fifty years 
old, and hast thou seen Abraham ? 

58. Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before 
Abraham was, I am. 

59. Then took they up stones to cast at him : but Jesus hid 
himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of 
them, and so passed by (John viii. 46-59). 



1. The prophecy of the aged Simeon concerning 
the infant Jesus, This child is set for the fall and 
rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which 
shall be spoken against, ' ' was frequently fulfilled 
in the experience of the Lord. Our Gospel lesson 
to-day presents a marked illustration. What pain 
must not such opposition have given to the loving 
heart of Christ ! His great loA^e met as its reward 
■ only contempt and hatred. In response to all the 
oppositions of that day and of our own, the Lord 
here presents a powerful testimony in His own 
behalf. All restless, opposing spirits are given to 
understand Whom it is that they are rejecting, and 
by this testimony the Lord makes the last attempt 
to win them to Himself. Meek and lowly of heart, 
He stands in the midst of His foes, humanly so 



142 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

humble and poor, and yet, in His whole bearing 
and in His clear assertion of His stupendous claims, 
SO divinely glorious, so calm and secure in the 
consciousness of His glory and His divine majesty, 
exalting Him far beyond the reach of all calum- 
niators. It appears as though He thought it best 
yet once more thus to reveal His majesty and glory 
plainly to the people before descending to the 
lowest depths of His humiliation. 

2. Verses If6-50. Which of you convinceth me 
of sin ? ' ' Who will dare to repeat these words after 
Christ ? Here we must all alike stand dumb. Only 
the Lord, the Son of God, dare so speak, for we are 
all poor sinners. The Jews dispute with Christ, 
blasphemously charging : Thou art a Samaritan, 
and hast a devil." Do thou, Christian brother, 
rejoice that the Lord bears this testimony to' His 
own character, '^for such an high-priest became 
us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from 
sinners, and made higher than the heavens." He 
is holy and without sin, and could therefore take 
upon Himself our sins. Impelled by love, He has 
done so, and therefore we who are in ourselves 
poor lost sinners, may now be of good cheer. Satan 
can no more convict us of sin, since the I^ord has 
removed it from us. 

3. Verse 51. The Lord endures with wonderful 
meekness the opposition of His Jewish enemies, 
but He meets their detraction with the bold words : 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my 
saying, he shall never see death." He has life in 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



143 



Himself ; He is the Life. It is beyond all measure 
wonderful that the Life should have gone down to 
death for us. He who now holds fast His word in 
faith, who lays hold upon Him, has life in himself 
and shall not see death. For him, death has no 
terrors. He looks to the life that is in Christ and 
which he is ever more fully to share. He rejoices 
that, freed entirely from the body of this death 
and from all the misery of sin, he is to behold his 
Saviour, and he is fully confident that the Risen 
Lord will at the last day avv- ake even the slumbering 
body to everlasting life and unspeakable glory. 

4. Verses 52-5 Jf. The greater the power and glory 
Avhich the Lord claims- for Himself, the greater 
and more violent becomes the opposition of His 
enemies. They accuse Him of ascribing too great 
honor to Himself ; but He replies : ^ ^ If I honor 
myself, my honor is nothing : it is my Father that 
honoreth me. ' ' Thus the glory of our Lord shines 
forth with ever-increasing brightness. He now 
claims honor from the Father." What think 
you? Can any creature upon earth, can the 
highest angel in heaven, say that God gives him 
honor ? All creatures must cast themselves with 
reverence into the dust before the Lord their God. 
Who then is Christ, that He should receive honor 
from the Father? He is the eternal Son of the 
eternal Father — God of God, Light of Light, very 
God of very God. ' ' Thus the entire Church con- 
fesses. Confess thou likewise and worship the 
Son, whom even the Father in Heaven honors. 



144 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

5. Verse 55. I know Him, the Father, and 
keep His say mg [Word]," says the Lord further. 
He knows the Father, for He was with Him from 
all eternity ; but ^Hhough He were a Son, yet 
learned He obedience by the things which He 
suffered." In this lies the secret of His glory, 
that He knows the Father, since He was with Him 
from eternity, and He gives evidence of this 
throughout His entire holy life on earth. 

6. Verses 56-58. The Lord has thus testified of 
His holiness and veracity, of the living power of 
His Word, of His knowledge of the Father, and of 
His obedience. He now rises yet higher, and rep- 
resents Himself as the object of Abraham' s longings 
and joy. To the mocking contradictions of the 
Jews He finally responds in the words full of 
triumph and glory : Before Abraham was, I 
am." The saying stretches back through many 
centuries, yea into the eternity of eternities past. 
^^Lam" abolishes all time, for the Lord applies 
the declaration to days long past. I am " — thus 
can only He speak who is and was and is to come. 
Thus the Lord claims eternity of existence for 
Himself. ' But there is only One eternal Being, 
the Living God. 

7. Verse 59. The Jews took up stones to cast 
at the Lord. His wonderful testimony concerning 
His divine glory arouses their wrath. Thus the 
world to-day mocks at such testimony and refuses 
to bow the knee before the Lord, or to give Him 
the honor which is His due. But all the opposition 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



145 



and hostility of the world must be in vain. As He 
then in the temple walked through the midst of 
His opposers, so does He to-day ever walk in won- 
derful majesty through the midst of His enemies. 
However the world may rage and set itself against 
Him, He is still the Lord — still the true God and 
eternal life, and before Him must one day bow 
every knee, in heaven and on earth and under the 
earth. Blessed be He, our God and Lord ! 

PKAYEK. 

Thou Holy one of Israel, we adore Thy name. Thou 
art from everlasting to everlasting. In Thee there is no 
sin and no darkness at all. All the hosts of heaven wor- 
ship Thee. We praise Thee that Thou didst dwell on earth 
among men, shedding abroad the light of Thy pure and 
holy life. Teach us to walk in Thy light. Do Thou drive 
away the darkness of our minds and help us to behold 
Thy glory, that we may rejoice in Thee. AVe confess unto 
Thee our many sins. We are unclean in Thy sight, and 
unworthy to approach Thy throne. But Thou art our 
merciful High-priest and hast made atonement for our 
transgressions. We cast the burden of our sins on Thee, 
and know that Thou wilt not refuse to bear them. Yea, 
Thou hast borne them for us and set us free from the curse 
of the Law. dear Saviour, keep us as Thine own and 
give us strength to serve Thee ail our days, that we may 
not see death, but may with all saints and angels behold 
Thee in Thy glory and worship Thee with the Father and 
the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen. 

Monday. Christ Proclaims His Divine Glory ^ as 
Attested by His Divine Works, and Demands Divine 
Honors. 

17. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, 
and I work. 

18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he 
not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his 
Father, making himself equal with God. 

19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I 
say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he 

10 



146 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



seeth the Father do : for what things soever he doeth, these also 
doeth the Son likewise. 

20. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things 
that himself doeth : and he will shew him greater works than 
these, that ye may marvel. 

21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them ; 
even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 

22. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judg- 
ment unto the Son. 

23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour 
the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the 
Father which hath sent him. 

24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, 
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and 
shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto 
life (John v. 17-24). 

1. Verms 17 and 18. Because Jesus calls God His 
Father, the Jews seek how they may put Him to 
death. They understand with perfect correctness 
that, by the language used by Him, He makes 
Himself equal with God. He does so because He 
is in reality equal with God. He who sees Him, 
Bees the Father. We must either honor Christ as 
the eternal Son of God, of the same nature as the 
Father, very God of very God, or, with the Jews, 
reject Him as a blasphemer. 0, what an innum- 
erable company of men do thus actually reject 
Him, the eternal Son of God, and in Him cast 
away their own life ! 

2. Verses 19-22. The Lord further attests His 
eternal unity of essence with the Father, and meets 
the opposition and wrath of the Jews with the 
clear announcement of the full scope of His glory. 
The works of the Father and of the Son are one. 
What the Father does. He does through the Son. 
What the Son does, He does in full fellowship and 
oneness with the Father. No one can here divide 
or separate. He will vet do greater works than 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



147 



He has hitherto, in conjunction with the Father, 
done for the revelation of His. glory, at which the 
world shall be filled vfith amazement. " He will 
glorify Himself in all men — in those who hear 
and believe His word, by the work of awakening 
to life ; in those who will not hear His voice, nor 
believe in His name, by the work of condemna- 
tion" (Besser). As the Father, so also the Son 
hath life in Himself. He is the Life. - Hence He 
calls to life whom He will. He displayed this 
power in the raising of Lazarus, of the young man 
of Nain, and of the daughter of Jairus. He is 
ever awakening to sj^ritual hfe those who do not 
resist Him. His life-giving power will be one day 
exerted also upon the bodies of those who believe 
on Him ; while all who will not allow themselves 
to be saved and made alive by Him must inevi- 
tably fall at length under His condemnation in the 
day -of judgment. For all judgment has been 
given into His hand. 

3. Verses 23 and If the Son is one with the 
Father, it is fitting that equal honor be given Him. 
And this the Lord demands : ' ^ That all men 
should honor the Son, even as they honor the 
Father." In those who thus honor Him, hearing 
and believing His Word, His grace is magnified. 
From death, to which we are all by nature in 
bondage, to life is the path upon which the Lord 
leads His followers. His grace is imparted to us 
in His Word. He who receives the Word in true 
faith has Christ Himself, who draws near to us in 



148 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

His Word and who is Himself the Living Word. 
But he who has Christ has eternal life, for Christ 
is the Life. And he who has eternal life in Christ 
cannot be condemned in the judgment, since 
Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead, would 
in that case condemn Himself. Even the death 
of the body can then not harm us, since we will 
still live in Christ. Death can only lead us out of 
the land of faith to the blessed vision of our Lord 
in the better Avorld. And the body itself cannot 
remain in death, but must pass through death to 
eternal life, since the power and life of Christ have 
sanctified the bodies of His saints for immortality. 

PRAYER. 

Thou Eternal Son of God, we would render Thee the 
sincere homage of humble and belie\dng hearts. Thou 
hast suffered for our sins, but God hath highly exalted 
Thee, and given Thee a name that is above every name. 
Thou art worthy to be worshiped by all Thine intelligent 
creatures. How shall we render unto Thee, Lord, that 
which is Thine ! We have too often forgotten Thee and 
been unfaithful to Thee. draw our wayward hearts 
nearer to Thee. Thou hast kept us hitherto. Suffer us 
not to fall from Thee. We have chosen Thee as our por- 
tion. May we hold Thee fast forever. But, Lord, we 
are weak. Do Thou graciously hold us up and preserve 
us in living union with Thee, that we may be one with 
Thee as Thou art One with the Father. May we not 
come into condemnation, but, through the merit of Thy 
blood shed for us upon the cross, may we inherit ever- 
lasting life. Amen. 

Tuesday. Christ Bears Witness to His Unity of 
Essence ivith the Father^ and Rebukes the Unbelief of 
Those ivho will not Hear His Voice. 



22. And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it 
was winter. 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



149 



23. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 

24. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, 
How long dost thou make us to doubt ? If thou be the Christ, 
tell us plainly. 

25. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not : the 
works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 

26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said 
unto you. 

27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they 
follow me : 

28. And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never 
perish, neither shall any 7nan pluck them out of my hand. 

29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all ; and no 
man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 

30. I and my Father are one. 

31. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 

32. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you 
from my Father ; for which of those works do ye stone me ? 

33. The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone 
thee not ; but for blasphemy ; and because that thou, being a 
man, makest thyself God. 

34. Jesus answered them. Is it not written in your law, I said, 
Ye are gods ? 

35. If he called them gods, unto whom the word, of God came, 
and the scripture cannot be broken ; 

36. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent 
into the world, Thou blasphemest ; because I said, I am the Son 
of God ? 

37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 

38. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works : 
that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in 
him. 

39. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped 
out of their hand, 

40. And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where 
John at first baptized ; and there he abode. 

41. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle : 
but all things that John spake of this man were true. 

42. And many believed on him there (John x. 22-42). 

1. Verses 22-30. At the Feast of the Dedication, 
which was celebrated in commemoration of the 
re-dedication of the temple after its desecration by 
the Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes, the Lord 
walks in the porch of Solomon — Himself the true, 
eternal Solomon, in whom all wisdom dwells. The 
Jews, gathering about Him, demand that He now 
tell them plainly whether He is the Christ, the 
promised Messiah. He had often enough testified 
this before them by word and deed. He therefore 
replies, ' ' I have told you, ' ' thus once more telling 



150 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

them plainly, but at the same time taking occasion 
to remind them that there had been no lack of 
testimony upon His part, but a lack of faith upon 
their part. And is it not the same to-day ? His 
eternal divinity, His grace and redemption, are 
clearly enough proclaimed and attested ; it is. our 
own fault if we remain among the doubting. His 
shephercl-Yoice is clear and plain ; but only His 
sheep, who hunger for His- pastures and, sensible 
of their own weakness, long to be led by Him, 
hear His voice. He who is contented with him- 
self, who is rich and satisfied with earthly goods, 
does not hear the voice of the Good Shepherd nor 
belong to His flock. ' Blessed are they who, in 
simplicity of heart, follow this Shepherd ! To 
them He promises eternal life. They shall never 
perish, and no one shall snatch them out of His 
hand ; for that would be to snatch them out of 
the hand of the Heavenly Father Himself, since 
the Father and the Son are one — of one nature, 
equal in majesty and glory. We are thus well 
sheltered in our Saviour's hand. The hand which 
was pierced for us upon the cross holds us fast — 
a hand at once of love and of omnipotence. Out 
of that hand can neither the world nor the devil 
snatch us, if we only suffer ourselves to be held, 
if we only do not ourselves stray away from our 
faithful Shepherd. 

2. Verses 31-83. The Jews perfectly understand 
that the Lord thus claims equality with God, and 
they therefore seek to stone Him. So there is 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



151 



nothing which to-day so arouses the world to 
hatred and hostihty as the cordial confession, by 
true believers, of the true divinity and humanity 
of Jesus Christ. That which is our richest con- 
solation — that the eternal Son of God has become 
our brother and died for us upon the cross — this 
corner and foundation stone of the whole Church 
of Christ is to the world, above all else, a stone of 
stumbling and a rock of offense. But there are 
here only two possible positions to hold. Either 
we must, with the Holy Church of all ages, confess 
that Jesus is God, or, with the Jews, stone Him 
as a blasphemer. Many seek to avoid the decision 
by half-hearted acknowledgments and ambiguous 
terms. They hesitate to reject Christ, and yet 
they lack the faith, and hence the courage, with 
the whole Church to acknowledge Him as their 
Lord and God. But the Lord says of these half- 
persuaded and lukewarm ones : ^ ^ I would thou 
wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art luke- 
warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee 
out of my mouth. ' ' 

3. Verses 34-4-^- The Jews despised the kindly 
admonition of the Lord and His appeal to the evi- 
dence of His works. They heard His testimony 
and beheld His works, but they would not believe. 
Across the Jordan, in Persea, the Lord found 
simple honest hearts, hungering for the gifts of 
grace ; while Jerusalem, the city of God, cast Him 
out. Thus to-day many a poor heathen greets the 
Lord in faith as His Saviour, while thousands 



152 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



upon thousands in Christian lands, in their vain 
imaginations and hardness of heart, reject Him. 
May the Lord in mercy save us from such unbehef . 

PEAYEE. 

Christ, our Lord, the Only-begotten of the Father, 
we draw near to Thee with holy confidence, for Thou 
hast manifested Thy love for us and hast invited us to 
come to Thee. Thou hast been a faithful Shepherd of 
Thy flock, and didst lay down Thy life for Thy sheep. 
May we always know Thy voice and gladly follow Thee. 
Help us to honor Thee as the Son of God and to worship 
Thee with holy reverence. Help us to do Thy will and 
glorify Thee. And do Thou lift us up, preserve us from 
every sin, and inspire us with holy purposes, that we may 
walk worthy of our vocation as Thy followers. Let not 
our enemies triumph over us, and let none snatch us out 
of Thine hand. Thou art our Saviour and our almighty 
Friend. We hope in Thy mercy ; we rest in Thy sure 
word of promise. When we shall have served Thee for a 
season here, do Thou take us to Thyself, that we may be 
with Thee forever. Amen. 



Wednesday. Passion History. PartXIII. Christy 
the King J Before Pilate. 

Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation 
bring ye against this man ? They answered and said unto him, 
If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up 
unto thee. And Jesus stood before the governor. And they began 
to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the 
nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Csesar, saying that he 
himself is Christ, a king. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye 
him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore 
said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death : 
that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signi- 
fying what death he should die. Then Pilate entered into the 
judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto him. Art thou 
the King of the Jews ? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this 
thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me ? Pilate answered, 
Am I a Jew ? Thine own nation and the chief priests have 
delivered thee unto me : what hast thou done ? Jesus answered. 
My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this 
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be 
delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from hence. 
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then ? Jesus 
answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born 
and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear wit- 
ness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



163 



voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth ? And when he had 
said this, he went out again unto the Jews and said to the chief 
priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And the 
chief priests accused him of many things ; but he answered 
nothing. Then Pilate said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? 
Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee ? 
And he answered him to never a word ; insomuch that the 
governor marveled greatly. But the chief priests were the more 
fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all 
Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. 

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were 
a Galilaean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto 
Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was 
at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was 
exceeding glad : for he was desirous to see him of a long season, 
because he had heard many things of him ; and he hoped to have 
seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him 
in many words ; but he answered him nothing. And the chief 
priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And 
Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, 
and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 
And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together : 
for before they were at enmity between themselves (Matt, xxvii. 
11-14 — Mark xv. 2-5 — Luke xxiii. 2-12— John xviii. 29-38). 



1. The Jews conduct the Lord before Pilate, the 
governor. He to whom has been given the power 
of judgment over the whole world willingly allows 
Himself to be led before the unjust judgment-seat 
of the heathen governor. He does this for us, in 
order that we may not have occasion to tremble 
with dread before His righteous judgment. 

Pontius Pilate had at this time been governor of 
Judaea for six years, under appointment from the 
Roman emperor. Now had come the fullness of 
time when all the gracious promises of old con- 
cerning the land of Canaan were to be fulfilled, 
and the eternal Son of God, the Saviour of the 
whole world, was traveling about in the land of 
Israel. Pilate was living in Judsea during this 
period of gracious visitation. He must have heard 
of the wonderful prophet who was, through His 
teachings and miracles, stirring the whole nation. 



154 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

But this occasioned no concern to him, the honored 
agent of imperial power. To his own soul he gives 
no thought. Honor and glory, wealth and power, 
are the idols which he worships. How many 
hundreds in our day fritter aAvay their lives in the 
vain conceit of greatness, and give themselves no 
concern whatever for the Lord and His Church, 
nor for the salvation of their own souls. 

2. Pilate has hitherto paid little attention to the 
Man of Nazareth. But now He appears before 
him, and the hour is come when he must decide 
for Him or against Him. Such an hour comes 
also, sooner or later, for each one of us. Pilate 
attempts to avoid the responsibility of making the 
decision. He casts' about to right and left for 
some way of escape. Now he talks to the people, 
and now he questions the Lord, who stands before 
him as a prisoner. He is anxious to win the favor 
of the people, and yet this wonderful prisoner has 
strangely impressed him. He endeavors to free 
himself from the whole matter, and hence sends 
the Lord to Herodi But he cannot escape. Christ 
has been set for the fall and rising again of those 
who come into contact with Him. There must be 
a decision. ^ ^ He that is not with me is against 
me," declares Christ Himself. We, too, must 
make the decision. May we all choose the better 
part. 

3. \yith what lofty dignity does not Christ 
stand there before His unjust judge! ^^Thou 
gayest that I am a king ' ' are His calm words in 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



155 



the midst of His deepest humiliation. Yea, He 
is a king, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 
' His kingdom is not of this world, but of heaven. 
^ ' Not the sword is the weapon of His kingdom, 
but the Word and the Holy Spirit. Not by strokes 
of violence shall His followers conquer, but by 
patience and suffering. Not towns and castles are 
the royal residences in this kingdom, but the 
hearts of men in which He dwells by faith. Not 
wealth nor outward prosperity and security are 
the blessings of His kingdom, but forgiveness of 
sins, peace with God, righteousness, and eternal 
life. Not honor and parade before the world are 
the attractions of His kingdom, but the despised 
form of a cross, beneath which it grows and 
flourishes. Not several, nor many, provinces does 
His kingdom embrace, but the circuit of the whole 
wide world. Not a hundred nor a thousand years 
shall it endure, but to eternity" (Besser). Such 
is the nature of the kingdom in y/hich Christ 
reigns as the King of Truth for the salvation of 
the world. 

4. The truth to which Christ bears witness is 
that. ' ' God so loved the world, that He gave His 
only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ' ' 
Pilate, with his miserable doubts, with his fancied 
greatness, would hear nothing of an eternal, indu- 
bitable truth. '^What is truth?" he skeptically 
asks, pitying the poor man Jesus, who is so simple 
as to speak of truth as a veritable reality. He 



156 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



doubtless regarded Him as a fanatic and half- 
demented man ; and perhaps, on that account, 
disliked to condemn Him. The question of Pilate, 
which reveals to us an utterly poor, empty heart, 
is still to-day in the hearts and upon the lips of 
many. But our faith knows what is truth : Christ 
is the Truth ; and he who has Christ has the 
Truth. Blessed is he who dwells in the kingdom 
of this King, and under the protection of His 
sceptre ! We have been, by Holy Baptism, im- 
planted in this kingdom ; and we, in the Lord's 
Prayer, daily plead that this kingdom may come 
ever more fully unto us and unto all men, until 
the kingdom of glory shall dawn, when the Lord 
shall come again as the Judge of the living and 
the dead. Then shall the whole world recognize 
Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

PEAYEE. 

Lord Jesus, Thou King of Saints ! Once despised and 
rejected of men, but now seated at the right hand of the 
Majesty on high. How low was the state of humiUation 
before Pontius Pilate to which Thou didst submit in order 
to exalt us to heaven. O, Thou King of Truth, grant that 
we may so hear Thy A^oice and follow Thy call that we 
may enter into Thine everlasting kingdom. Thy kingdom 
is not of this world, and Thy dominion is spiritual and 
heavenly ; but we are earthly and full of sin. O, cleanse 
Thou us by Thy blood, that we may at length stand before 
Thee with joy as the blessed of Thy Father. O, Thou 
King, once crowned with thorns, graciously grant unto 
us the crown of life. 0, Thou sufiering King, mercifully 
grant to us an entrance into Thy kingdom of rejoicing and 
glory. 0, Thou King dying upon the cross, have mercy 
upon us and bring us to everlasting life. O, Thou holy 
and eternal King, we prostrate ourselves before Thee and 
offer unto Thee our homage and our prayers. Accept us 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



157 



as Thy subjects, and keep us faithful to Thee forever. 
Amen. 

Thursday. Passion History. Part XIV. The 
Foolish Choice of the Multitude. 

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and 
the rulers and the people, said unto them. Ye have brought this 
man unto me as one that perverteth the people : and behold, I, 
having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man 
touching those things whereof ye accuse him. No, nor yet 
Herod : for I sent you to him ; and lo, nothing worthy of death is 
done unto him. I will therefore chastise him and release him. 

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the 
people one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was at 
that time a notable prisoner, called Barabbas, who for a certain 
sedition made in the city and for murder was cast into prison. 
And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he 
had ever done unto them. Therefore when they were gathered 
together, Pilate said "unto them, Ye have a custom that I should 
release unto you one at the passover. Whom will ye that I re- 
lease unto you ? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ ? For 
he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 

When he was set down on the judgment-seat, his wife sent 
unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man : 
for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of 
him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude 
that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor 
answered and said unto them. Whether of the twain will ye that 
I release unto you ? They said, Barabbas. And they cried out 
all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us 
Barabbas. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, said again 
to them. What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ ? 
What will ye that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of 
the Jews ? And they all cried. Crucify him, crucify him ! And 
Pilate said unto them the third time. Why what evil hath he 
done ? I have found no cause of death in him. I will therefore 
chastise him and let him go. And they cried out the more ex- 
ceedingly, Crucify him ! And they were instant with loud voices, 
requiring that he be crucified. And the voices of them and of 
the chief priests prevailed. 

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather 
a tumult was made, he was willing to content the people. And 
he took water, and washed his hands before the ^multitude, say- 
ing, I am innocent of the blood of this just person : see ye to it. 
Then answered all the people and said, His blood be on us and on 
our children ! And he gave sentence that it should be as they 
required, and he released unto them him that for sedition and 
murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired ; but he de- 
livered Jesus to their will, to be scourged and crucified (Matt, 
xxvii. 15-26 — Mark xvo 6-15 — Luke xxiii. 14-25— John xviii. 39, 40). 

1. We see in the case of Pilate how it fares with 
those who are of a divided heart, unwilling to 
decide either for or against Christ. Restless and 
anxious, he turns hither and thither. He would 



158 MEDITATIO^^S FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

fain please men and yet hesitates to condemn 
innocent blood. The warning of his wife, ' ^ Have 
thou nothing to do with that just man," increases 
his perplexity and distress. He proposes there- 
fore to satisfy his conscience by releasing Jesus, 
but first to chastise Him, and thus gratify ^the 
rabble whom he fears. Let us take to heart the 
lesson, that half-heartedness and indecision lead 
to miserable failure. He who now treats the 
Lord as Pilate did will soon be forced to decide 
against Him. 

2. Pilate makes yet another attempt to extricate 
himself. There was a beautiful custom of cele- 
brating the annual passover, which commemorated 
the deliverance of Israel from the house of bond- 
age and servitude in Egypt, by the release of some 
prisoner. Pilate now hopes that the multitude 
may be induced to call for the release of Jesus. 
But his hope is vain. Satan will not allow him 
thus to escape, since he has already half yielded. 
The people choose Barabbas, the murderer, and 
reject Jesus, their Saviour. ''Away with him !" 
thus do they reject their God and with Him their 
own salvation. ' ' Crucify him, crucify him ! ' ' 
shouts the multitude that had shortly before 
greeted Him with hosannas. ' ' His blood be upon 
us and upon our children," thus do they call 
down a curse upon themselves, God heard the 
curse and has executed it. The blood of the 
Holy One has come upon Israel in judgment. 
The remainder of the ancient people of God still 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



159 



wander about among us as memorials of the ve- 
racity and holiness of God. Every Jew whom we 
meet reminds of the curse invoked upon the 
nation by his ancestors, and of the righteous 
judgment of God. ' We, too, cry — but with another 
meaning in the terms — ^^His blood be upon us 
and upon our children. ' ' May it be ujDon us in 
pardoning grace, for the washing away of our 
sins, for the blotting out of our iniquities ! His 
precious blood comes upon us in Holy Baptism. 
It gives power to the comforting words of absolu- 
tion, in which His ministers assure the penitent 
of the forgiveness of their sins. It is offered to 
us in the Holy Supper. Thus is fulfilled to us in 
blessing what has brought a curse upon Israel. 
According to the attitude which we assume toward 
the Lord, do His Word, His blood. His grace, 
prove a curse or a blessing, a savor of life unto 
life or of death unto death. May He grant us 
faith, that we may have in Him a merciful Sa- 
viour and not a terrible Judge. 

3. ^ ^ As Barabbas here changes places with Jesus 
— as Barabbas goes free while Jesus is crucified — 
so does the first Adam, whose likeness is reflected 
in Barabbas, and all his posterity, change places 
with the second Adam. The latter is condemned 
to death, the former is set free. This is the 
unfathomable mystery of Divine Love, in which 
justice and mercy kiss each other and dwell 
together in most delightful harmony. Justice is 
here satisfied, since the sentence of death which 



160 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



it dictates is executed, though not upon the sin- 
ner himself, upon his Surety. Mercy can now 
bestow grace upon the sinner and set him free, 
since his Surety has taken the condemnation and 
punishment upon Himself. 0, wonder of Love, 
before which we should humbly worship and 
adore (Rambach). 

PEAYEE. 

Our dear Father in Heaven, we thank Thee that Thou 
didst give Thine only and well-beloved Son to death for 
us. Do Thou, by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, enable 
us to accept Him as our Saviour and cling to Him with 
true and faithful love. May we never choose the world 
and sin as our portion and reject Thy Christ, as did Thy 
people of old. Thou art a righteous and holy God, and 
hast visited the blood of Thy dear Son upon the faithless 
nation that refused and slew Him. May we not fall into 
like condemnation. Lord Jesus Christ, let Thy blood 
be upon us, not unto condemnation, but as the seal of 
Thy mercy and of our salvation. We have often forgot- 
ten Thee, and been unfaithful to Thee — have rejected 
Thee and preferred before Thee the sinful pleasures of the 
world. But Thou art merciful and faithful. Hitherto 
hath Thy mercy spared us — wilt Thou not yet bear with 
us ! We renounce the world and choose Thee with our 
whole hearts. Thou only canst give peace and save from 
everlasting misery. Therefore to Thee we flee for ref- 
uge. Lord Jesus, have mercy upon us. Amen. 

Friday. Passion History. Part XV. Christ 
■ Scourged, Mocked and Condemned. 

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him. And the 
soldiers of the governor took Jesus and led him away into the 
judgment hall, and gathered unto them the whole band, and they 
stripped him and put on him a purple robe, and platted a crown 
of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. 
And they mocked him, and began to salute him, saying, Hail, 
King of the Jews ! And they spit upon him, and took the reed 
and smote him on the head, and, bowing their knees before him, 
worshiped him. 

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them. Be- 
hold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



161 



fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of 
thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Be- 
hold the man ! When the chief priests, therefore, and officers 
saw him they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him ! Pilate 
saith unto them. Take ye him and crucify him ; for I find no fault 
in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our 
law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 
When Pilate heard that saying he was the more afraid ; and 
went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence 
art thou ? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate 
unto him, speakest thou not unto me ? Knowest thou not that I 
have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee ? Jesus 
answered. Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except 
it were given thee from above ; therefore, he that delivered thee 
unto me hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate 
sought to release him ; but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou 
let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend ; whosoever maketh 
himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 

When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus 
forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is 
called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was 
the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour. And 
he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king ! But they cried out, 
Away with him, away with him, crucify him ! Pilate saith 
unto them, Shall I crucify your king ? The chief priests an- 
swered. We have no king but Caesar. Then delivered he him 
therefore unto them to be crucified (Matt, xxvii. 26-30— Mark xv. 
16-19— John xix. 1-16). 

1. The Lord of Glory descends into ever deeper 
depths of distress and shame. Ever more bitter 
becomes the cup of His suffering. Pilate took 
Jesus and scourged him. Thy Saviour there 
bears stroke after stroke and receives wound after 
wound — He, the Holy One, the very Son of God. 
He was scourged for thee, in order that He might 
deliver thee from the scourgings of the wrath to 
come. There was fulfilled the word of prophecy : 
' ' He was wounded for our transgressions ; He 
was bruised for our iniquities. ' ' But the scourging 
of the Lord admonishes us also to scourge and 
crucify our own flesh, most impressively proclaim- 
ing our need of repentance. 

2. The Lord had said, I am a king." The 
soldiers of the governor now set themselves to 

11 



162 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

mock at His royalty, as the servants of Caiaphas 
had mocked at His priesthood. They call 
together the whole band, that they may all join 
in the mockery of the prisoner. They strip Him, 
and He submits to the indignity in order that we 
might not be found naked upon the great judg- 
ment day. Upon his wounded shoulders they 
hang a purple robe, an old garment taken from 
one of the soldiers. His blood deepens its dye. 
For us He wore this robe of scorn, in order that 
we might one day stand before Him clothed in 
the wedding garment of His righteousness. The 
suffering Saviour mercifully covers all our faults 
with His robe of purple. 

The soldiers press a crown of thorns upon His 
sacred head. Our sins are the thorns that wound 
His brow. His wreath of thorns should impel 
us to repentance and to the crucifixion of the 
flesh. He wore it, that one day He might lay the 
crown of everlasting life upon our heads. 

They place in His right hand a reed, as the 
sceptre of His royalty. The kingdom of this 
Monarch is a poor and unpretentious one, without 
worldly pomp or glory. His sceptre, the Word, 
appears to the world to be but a frail reed ; yet it 
is a sceptre of power, by which He graciously 
leads His loyal subjects, puts to flight his ene- 
mies, and gloriously rules the whole world. 

In scornful travesty they salute him, ^^Hail, 
King of the Jews!" But the Lord endures 
their taunts in silence, just as He to-day endures 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



163 



the mockery of His enemies. But how will the 
scene be changed when He comes again to judge 
the living and the dead ? All mockery will then 
be silenced. 

They spit upon Him and smite Him with their 
hands and with the reed, growing bolder and 
bolder in their insults, as Satan urges them on. 
For our sakes He quietly submits to all this re- 
proach. It is not possible for us to conceive how 
deeply He was thus humiliated. He was true 
God from all eternity. Learn here the magnitude 
of thy sins, which could bring the Holy One into 
such depths of ignominy. But how will not this 
countenance, now smitten and spit upon, glow 
with divine majesty when our Lord shall come 
again in the day of His glory ? 

3. Behold, the man ! With such words of 
scorn Pilate places the tortured prisoner before the 
people whom He came to save. Behold, the 
man ! He is not worthy of your wrath ; He is 
far too lowly and miserable to excite even hatred. 
There stands the Lord, according to the prophecy 
of Isaiah, despised and rejected of men, a man 
of sorrows and acquainted with grief. ' ' And He 
endured it all/or us. The words of Pilate, ^ ^ Behold, 
the man ! ' ' should prove for Us an earnest call to 
repentance and an admonition to forsake sin and 
crucify our flesh with its evil lusts. But they 
should also prove for us a word of blessed consola- 
tion. When our sins oppress us ; when distress and 
grief assail us ; when our last hour draws near ; 



164 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



when thoughts of the judgment and eternal pun- 
ishment fill us with dismay — then will we cry, 
Behold, the man!" Then shall the Lord, 
standing before us in His deepest humiliation, 
become our comforter ; for He has borne all this for 
us. May He mercifully grant unto us His Holy 
Spirit, that we may believe this and daily medi- 
tate upon it. 

PRAYER. 

O Lord Jesus, Thou Son of God and Son of Mary ! 
How great was Thy humihation, how distressing Thy 
agony, how painful Thy stripes and wounds ! 0, Thou 
Lamb of God, how heavy were the sins of the world as 
they lay upon Thee. Lord Jesus, how great and crush- 
ing was the burden of our iniquities, which pressed Thee 
down and brought Thee into unutterable sufferings and 
death upon the cross. In heartfelt sorrow and repent- 
ance we cry unto Thee : Jesus, have mercy upon us 
miserable sinners. May Thy wounds and stripes. Thy 
deep disgrace. Thy thorn-crowned head, stand out so 
plainly before our souls that we may never forget our 
sins, nor lose sight of Thy great mercy. O Lord Jesus, 
our hearts are full of distress and anguish. AVe must 
have been forever lost on account of our sins if Thou 
hadst not had mercy upon us. We know no other refuge 
but in Thee. Cast us not away, dear Lord. For the 
sake of Thy bitter sufferings and death, 0, cast us not 
away ! We behold Thee in penitence and faith. Look 
Thou upon us in mercy, and save us, for Thy name's sake. 
Amen. 

Saturday. Christy being GodC s Only-begotten Son, 
of the Same Nature ivith the Father and Perfectly Holy, 
could Be our High-priest and Accomplish through His 
Blood an Eternal Redemption. 

11. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to 
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with 
hands, that is to say, not of this building ; 

12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own 
blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained 
eternal redemption /or us. 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



165 



13. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an 
heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the 
flesh, 

14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the 
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your 
conscience from dead works to serve the living God ? 

15. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, 
that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions 
that were under the first testament, they which are called might 
receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Heb. ix. 11-15). 

1. Verse 11. Christ is pure and without sin. 

Which of you accuseth me of sin?" could He 
feariessly demand. Canst thou utter the challenge 
after Him ? 0, if we only could ! But conscience 
testifies, and we cannot hide the truth, that we 
have been polluted by the dead wwks of our sinful 
nature. Where can we find cleansing, peace^ for- 
giveness ? Lo ! Christ has come as the true High- 
priest to purify us through His sacrifice. He has 
obtained eternal redemption for us. Consider well 
this, our glorious High-priest. The children of 
Israel had their high-priest from ancient times, 
whose office and work it was to reconcile the people 
to God. But he but typified the High-priest of 
things to come, who was yet to appear, like those 
who had preceded him indeed, but as much more 
exalted as real and eternal things are higher than 
things temporal and typical. The ancient high- 
priest was taken from among his brethren, and it 
behooved Christ also to be made like unto His 
brethren — a true man — in order that He might be 
merciful and a true High-priest to atone for the 
sins of the people. ' ' The earthly high-priest was 
a sinful man, who had first to of?er sacrifice for 
himself ; but Christ is holy, innocent, without spot, 



166 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

and separate from sinners — yea, higher than the 
heavens, for He is God's only-begotten Son, one 
with the Father, and in Him appeared the fullness 
of the Godhead bodily. 

2. Verses 12-15, What has this ^ ^ High-priest of 
things to come ' ' done for us ? As the high-priest of 
Israel went into the Holy of Holies through the 
tabernacle and the temple, so our High-priest, 
Jesus Christ, entered into the Holy of Holies above 
through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not 
made with hands as was the tabernacle of the Jews, 
that is, through His body, conceived of the Holy 
Ghost — a living tabernacle filled with the glory of 
God. Our High-priest entered this greater and 
more perfect tabernacle on the day when He was 
born in this world as a man, and His life on earth 
was a passage through the tabernacle of His flesh. 
It was a journey full of arduous toil, amid reproach 
and contempt, full of pain and suffering. His 
whole life was a progress toward the consummation 
of His self-sacrifice, and therefore itself a sacrifice 
for our sins. 0, how deeply our sins wounded 
Him ! How much He suffered at the hands of His 
wicked judges and the mocking soldiers and on 
Golgotha ! There He consummated His offering 
and passed through His own blood, which He shed 
upon the cross for us, into the heavenly sanctuary 
and obtained eternal redemption for us. 

3. At a terrible cost did the Lord thus gain for 
us an inestimable blessing, i. e.^ eternal redemp- 
tion, which has an abiding power and becomes the 



FIFTH WEEK IN LENT. 



167 



portion of all who accept it in faith. He has thus 
cleansed us from dead works. Thus the apostle 
designates our sins, because they come from death 
and lead to death. A heart alienated from God is 
under condemnation of death. All the works that 
come from it are therefore dead, and their final fruit 
can be nothing else than eternal death. Now from 
such dead works Christ has cleansed us. To this 
true cleansing the various bodily purifications of 
the Jews pointed forward. In Christ is fulfilled 
what was there but typified. He has obtained for 
us the promised everlasting inheritance, eternal 
salvation. We have only to respond to the call 
which is still constantly sounding in our ears and 
humbly accept the grace which is offered to us. It 
is still for us the accepted time, the day of salvation 
and grace. The Lord still calls to us, offering for- 
giveness of sins, life and salvation. Come, let us 
arise and obey the gracious call, that we may share 
in these rich gifts of grace, obtained for us at such 
a cost, that His precious blood may not have been 
shed for naught and His sacrifice offered in vain. 



PRAYER. 

Almighty God our Pleavenly Father, who hast given 
Thine own dear Son to be our eternal, holy and faithful 
High-priest, we praise and magnify Thy holy name, that 
Thou has so graciously remembered us. Grant unto us 
Thy Holy Spirit, that we may truly reverence Thy Son 
and by faith commit the keeping of our souls to Him. 
Lord Jesus, our only Saviour, who wast from the beginning 
with God, show us the Father, that we may know Him. 
As Thou art one with the Father, do Thou make us one 



168 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



with Thee, that we may not perish on account of our sins, 
but may attain eternal Ufe, and may enter at length into 
the heavenly sanctuary into which Thou hast entered for 
us through the sacrifice of Thyself upon the cross. Amen. 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 

With the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusa- 
lem begins the proper Passion Week, called " Holy- 
Week." He enters amid the acclaim of the 
multitude to complete His work on Golgotha. 
Royal honors are given Him just as He is pre- 
paring to take upon Himself the deepest humilia- 
tion and shame. Hosannas greet Him as He 
goes to meet His death. 

Sunday. The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. 

1. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to 
Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two 
disciples, 

2. Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and 
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose 
them, and bring ^/lem unto me. 

3. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord 
hath need of them ; and straightway he will send them. 

4. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 
by the prophet, saying, 

5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh 
unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of 
an ass, 

6. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 

7. And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their 
clothes, and they set /itm thereon. 

8. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the 
way ; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed Ikem 
in the way. 

9. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, 
cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David : Blessed ts he that 
cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (Matt, 
xxi. i-g). 

1. This same Gospel lesson was the theme of 
the Church's meditation on the first Sunday in 
Advent. It then reminded us of Christ's entrance 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



169 



into this poor world as the meek King, bringing 
us grace and hfe. Now, at the beginning of the 
solemn Holy Week, it has a different significance. 
We now think of His entrance to the holy city as 
the journey to the place of sacrifice where He will 
offer Himself upon the altar of the cross for the 
sins of the whole world. As it was customary 
to set apart for sacrifice the passover lamb four 
days before the feast of the passover, so the Lamb 
of God sets Himself apart for sacrifice four days 
before His offering of Himself upon the cross. He 
prepares Himself for suffering. That was the mean- 
ing of coming up to Jerusalem — and such was the 
experience now awaiting Him in the immediate 
future. As it was customary to adorn and bedeck 
with wreaths the beasts designed for sacrifice as they 
were led to the altar, so He was led, amid homage 
and the waving of palm branches, toward the con- 
summation of His solemn calling to suffer and die. 
The disciples know. not what they do. Had they 
guessed the meaning of the scene, they would have 
had no heart for palms and outward tokens of 
homage" (Lohe). 

2. It is for the last time that the Lord now 
enters Jerusalem. He had often entered the city 
before, but never thus nor with such an object in 
view. Hitherto He had come to teach ; He now 
comes to die — but in either case He comes in holy 
love. His last entry is particularly a revelation 
to us of His great and warm love. He was not in 
ignorance of what there awaited Him. He knew 



170 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

from the beginning that suffering and death were 
to be His portion. With boundless mercy He 
wilhngly executes the counsel of eternal Love. 
His love brought Him into this poor earthly life, 
and it leads Him, too, to death. His whole life 
is a work of mercy, a revelation of love growing 
ever more distinct and glorious from Bethlehem to 
Golgotha. ^'From the incarnation of the Son of 
God until He rides through the valley of the 
Kedron on His way to Jerusalem, His whole life 
and activity are but a ladder of love for His fallen 
creatures " (Lohe). No one hath greater love than 
that he should lay down his life for his brethren. 
After all the rich displays of love which marked 
His life on earth, there remained but this last and 
convincing evidence — that He should offer His 
life as a sacrifice for the sinful world. He draws 
near to Jerusalem, there to perform the last and 
glorious act of love. The procession starts from 
the Mount of Olives. There lies the garden of 
Gethsemane, and it is not hidden from the Lord 
how sorely He must there suffer, as He lies prone 
in the dust, nor how He shall there be betrayed 
by one of His disciples. The gates of Jerusalem 
open before Him. He well knows, and has an- 
nounced beforehand, that He shall there be 
scourged and mocked' and spit upon. There 
stands out to view the hill of Golgotha ; and what 
He is there to endure is not concealed from Him. 
He knows much more fully than we can even 
conceive. We see but the outward agony and the 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



171 



•bitter bodily sufferings. What human heart can 
understand or conceive the unfathomable suffer- 
ings of His holy soul ? ' ' Punishments of earth 
and hell, the guilt and punishment of all sins, of 
all sinners, and of all ages, will He bear "—He who 
is Himself holy and without sin. His entire life 
is a continuous suffering. Step by step He de- 
scends into the profoundest depths. And now 
the hour is at hand when He is to take the last 
step — to drain to its last drop His cup of suffering. 
The Almighty One becomes powerless. The Holy 
One is numbered among the transgressors. The 
Blessed One, worshiped by all the angels, endures 
the mockery and scorn of men. The Eternal Judge 
suffers Himsel to be condemned. Life descends 
into death. Only in His love can we find an 
explanation of these contradictions. Let us not 
forget that His love also beams upon us. For us 
He entered the holy city, there to finish His work. 
For us, too, did He offer the ever-availing sacrifice 
upon the cross as our merciful High-priest. 

3. The Lord often before entered Jerusalem, but 
never before in such a formal and solemn way. 
He sends His disciples before Him to bring the 
ass' colt, revealing thereby His omniscience and 
authority. He permits Himself to be placed upon 
the colt by His disciples, and accepts the tokens 
of homage with which the people greet Him. He 
thus reveals the glory which is rightly His, before 
He descends into the depths of shame and death. 

And how plainly the Lord thus makes it manifest 



172 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

to US that He is willingly surrendering Himself to 
suffering and death ! No one compels Him. He 
is not hurried and dragged away to the cross by 
violence against His will, but He goes to death 
because He wills to do so. He thus wills, because 
His love impels Him. That can never be a sac- 
rifice acceptable to God which is brought under 
compulsion, or necessity, and against the will of 
him who brings it. Only the free-will offering 
dictated by holy love is a true sacrifice. Therefore 
the Lord came not at this time quietly and unob- 
served, nor did He permit Himself to be secretly 
seized and put to death ; but He came in right royal 
and priestly style, entering solemnly before the 
eyes of all Jerusalem and amid the hosannas of the 
people, in order that Israel and all the world might 
know that it is in free love that He offers Himself 
in sacrifice. 

^ 4. The multitude in Jerusalem greet the Lord 
with joyous hosannas. The meaning of the word 
hosanna is, ' ' Lord, help. ' ' Praise and petition 
are combined in the cry. The people thus greet 
the Lord as the true Helper ; and it is indeed He 
alone who can truly help. 0, that Israel had but 
accepted the aid which He offered! He is also 
our Helper. He helps all who are willing to be 
helped from sin to grace, from death to life. And 
who does not stand in need of this gracious help ? 

He has entered into His eternal glory ; we yet 
wander upon earth. He is triumphant ; we are 
yet engaged in fierce conflict with Satan, the world 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



173 



and our own flesh. He is in the midst of hfe ; we 
yet dwell in the valley of death. Without His help, 
we cannot reach the eternal goal. ' ' Therefore let 
us all unite in the Hosanna ! and may our ' Lord 
help ! Lord, give prosperity ! ' arise with earnest 
longing from our Kedron Valley to His everlasting 
heavenly heights. Hosanna to Him — and to us 
if we obey His Word ! Hosanna, when we go to 
the Holy Supper ! Hosanna, when we are tempted 
to sin! Hosanna, when we die ! Hosanna, when 
we rise again and on the Day of Judgment ! ' ' 
(Lohe). 

PEAYER. 

All hail to Thee, Jesus our King ! INIeek and lowly 
Thou art, but Thy sceptre is an everlasting sceptre, and to 
Thy dominion there shall be no end. Zion rejoices at 
Thy coming, for Thou bringest salvation. Thou camest 
to Jerusalem to suffer and die, yet in dying Thou hast 
conquered death, and opened the pathway to eternal life. 
Accept Thou our humble praises and permit us to follow 
Thee step by step upon Thy pathway of sorrow and stand 
beneath Thy cross. Thou didst wear a crown of thorns. 
may we see Thee seated on Thy throne, crowned with 
majesty and glory. AYe open our hearts to Thee in sym- 
pathy and love. Wilt Thou not enter, dearest Lord, and 
reign within us ? Drive out every evil thought and passion, 
and may our bodies be as holy temples, purified by Thy 
power and dedicated to Thy praise. Preserve us free from 
all the pollution of sin and fill us with Thy peace and 
love. Amen. 

Monday. The Humiliation and Exaltation of Jesus. 

5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : 

6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be 
equal with God : 

7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the 
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men : 

8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, 
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 



174 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



g. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him 
a name which is above every name : 

10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things 
in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; 

11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. ii. 5-11). 

1. Ver8e% 5-8. We have entered upon the great 
week which we rightly regard as the central point 
of all time. In this week we commemorate the 
completion of the holy sacrifice by which the 
w^orld has been delivered from eternal ruin and 
reconciled to God. It is a time of the deepest 
humiliation and shame for Him who Himself was 
God from all eternity. Christian believers there- 
fore spend this week in quietness and in medita- 
tion upon the sufferings of our blessed Saviour-. 
Our Epistle to-day treats of His deep humiliation 
and the exaltation which followed. 

Christ was ^ ^ in the form of God, ' ' i. 6. , of the 
same nature as the Father, for with God nature 
and form are one. He was from all eternity ^Hhe 
brightness of the Father' s glory, the express image 
of His person. ' ' But He did not retain this glory 
as His rightful prerogative nor make a show of it, 
but moved by free grace and love He ^ ' emptied 
Himself." He laid His divine glory by and 
refrained from the assertion of His divine powers 
and prerogatives, in order that He might become 
entirely like us. His whole life, from His incarna- 
tion to His death, was a continual emptying of 
Himself of the glory which was His by right. He 
knows that He" is the Son of God and one with the 
Father, but He refrains from the exercise of His 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



175 



divine power and glory. Who can understand 
such love ? He, though omnipresent and eternal, 
adapts Himself to the narrow confines of a human 
body. He, the Lord Almighty, becomes a babe. 
He, the Judge of all the earth, bows beneath the 
unrighteous verdict of men. He, whom all the 
angels worship, endures reproach, mockery and 
scorn. He who is Life goes down to death. In all 
this, He willingly empties Himself of the glory 
which is rightfully His and conceals the rays of 
His eternal Godhead under the unseemly garb of 
humanity. 

2. There are five stages in the course of His 
humiliation. He became a man, conceived by the 
Holy Ghost. He was born of the Virgin Mary, 
and thus took upon Him the form of a servant and 
led a life of lowliness and poverty. He humbled 
Himself, when He suffered under Pontius Pilate. 
He became obedient unto death, even to death on 
the cross — was crucified and died. And so deeply 
did He humble Himself that He was even buried 
as are other men. 

And all this He did for our good. For us He 
became man, took upon Himself the form of a 
servant, suffered, died upon the cross, and was 
laid in the grave. May the Lord enable us to 
heartily believe this, that we may learn to be of 
such humble mind as was He. May His humilia- 
tion and deep reproach quench all our pride and 
ever restrain us from all vain self-exaltation. 

3. Verses 9-11. He that humbleth himself shall 



176 xMEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

be exalted. It was thus with the Lord Himself. 
Because He so deeply humbled Himself, God has 
so highly exalted Him. Because He of free grace 
toward men imprisoned His eternal divinity in 
the form of poor humanity, God has now exalted 
also His human nature to divine glory. As there 
were five stages in His humiliation, so may we trace 
also five stages in His exaltation. He descended into 
hell, not to remain there, but there to reveal His 
glory to the spirits in prison, and display Himself as 
the Victor over death, the devil and hell. Thus He 
robbed Satan of his power and became the plagues 
of death and the destruction of hell (Hos. xiii. 14), 
thus openly triumphing over the powers of dark- 
ness. He arose from the dead, for He is the Life, that 
cannot be swallowed up of death. He ascended to 
heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, having 
received a glorious name that is above every name. 
At the name of Jesus every knee must bow — angels 
in heaven, men upon the earth, and evil spirits 
under the earth. Every tongue must confess that 
He is Lord. They who will not now confess it 
shall be compelled to do so when He comes again to 
judge the quick and the dead. 

Again, it is /or us that He is thus exalted. For us 
He burst the bars of hell. For us He arose from 
the dead, that we might have the comfort of an 
assured resurrection for ourselves. For us He 
ascended to heaven, that a place might there be 
prepared for us. For our benefit He sits enthroned 
at the right hand of the Father. For our sakes He 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



177 



will come again, to deliver His followers from all 
evil and elevate them to eternal glory, as He has 
Himself been exalted. We await in hope His 
coming. 0, that the day would hasten on ! May 
our Lord grant us grace that we may draw rich 
•consolation from His glorious exaltation, and that 
w^e may willingly bow the knee before Him, con- 
fessing Him as Lord, in order that we may eter- 
nally enjoy the blessed fruits of His humiliation 
mid exaltation. 

PRAYER. 

Christ, our Lord and Saviour, how glorious Thou 
art ! Thou art equal with God the Father, and yet Thou 
didst for our sakes condescend to dwell in human flesh. 
Thou didst lay aside the glory which Thou hadst with the 
Father before the world was to become a man of sorrows 
and acquainted with grief. Thou wast despised and re- 
jected of men. Thou wast betrayed into the hands of 
Thy cruel enemies, and they have done unto Thee what- 
soever they listed. But Thou art yet a King — the King 
of Kings and Lord of Lords ! We prostrate ourselves 
before Thee. We are but dust and ashes. We have 
offended Thee and denied Thee before men. 0, reward 
us not according to our iniquities, but have mercy upon 
us. Thou hast come to save Thy people from their sins. 
0, blot out the remembrance of our transgressions and 
extend to us the sceptre of Thy pardoning love. As 
Thou hast been lifted up for us, draw us unto Thyself, 
and make us meet to serve Thee in Thy heavenly king- 
dom, and to enjoy forever Thy favor, Vhich is better 
than life. Amen. 

Tuesday. The Sacerdotal Prayer of Christ. 

1. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, 
and said. Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy Son, that thy 
Son also may glorify thee : 

2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should 
give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 

3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only 
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

4. I have glorified thee on the earth : I have finished the work 
which thou gavest me to do. 

12 



178 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self 
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 

6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest 
me out of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them me ; 
and they have kept thy word. 

7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast 
given me are of thee. 

8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest 
me ; and they have received them, and have known surely that I 
came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send 
me. 

g. I pray for them : I pray not for the world, but for them which 
thou hast given me ; for they are thine. 

10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine ; and I am glori- 
fied in them. 

11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the 
world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own 
name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as 
we are. 

12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy 
name : those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them 
is lost, but the son of perdition ; that the scripture might be ful- 
filled. 

13. And now come I to thee ; and these things I speak in the 
world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 

14. I have given them thy word ; and the world hath hated 
them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the 
world. 

15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, 
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 

16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 

17. Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth. 

18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also 
sent them into the world. 

19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might 
be sanctified through the truth. 

20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which 
shall believe on me through their word ; 

21. That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I 
in thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe 
that thou hast sent me. 

22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them ; 
that they may be one, even as we are one : 

23. I in them and thou in me, that they be made perfect in one ; 
and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast 
loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be 
with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory, which 
thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before the foundation of 
the world. 

25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee : but 
I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent 
me. 

26. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare 
it : that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, 
and I in them (John xvii. 1-26). 



1. It was among the duties of the high-priest 
under the old covenant to offer up prayers in. 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



179 



behalf of the people. Thus also Jesus Christ, 
the true High-priest, prayed for His followers and 
His Church, and is now our Advocate, always 
standing for us before the Throne and pleading for 
us. In this seventeenth chapter of St. John's 
Gospel the Holy Spirit has preserved for us a 
wonderful and unfathomably profound and glori- 
ous prayer, which our eternal High-priest offered 
up in our behalf shortly before He made the sacri- 
fice of Himself for us. 

The Lord prays first for Himself (1-5) — that 
He may be glorified, since He is the foundation 
and corner-stone of the Church. Then He prays 
(6-19) for His apostles, the divinely appointed 
teachers of the world — the first men who were 
called and commissioned to call others to eternal 
life. Finally, He prays (20-26) for the whole 
company of believers — for the Church on earth, 
that they may all be one in the truth and partak- 
ers of His glory. 

2. Of this sacred prayer, which can never be 
worthily expounded in human words, and whose 
fullness and glory only a simple beheving heart 
can begin to appreciate, Luther says : ' ' It is 
truly beyond all comparison an ardent heart- 
felt prayer, in which He reveals and pours out the 
very deepest emotions of His heart, both toward 
us and toward His Father. But the power, 
nature and efficacy which mark this prayer, I 
very much fear we shall never be al)le to suffi- 
ciently portray ; for however plain and simple it 



180 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

may sound, it is yet so profound and rich and 
broad that no one can fathom it. ' ' Melanchthon 
says of it : ^ ' No worthier, no holier, no more 
fruitful, no sublimer utterance was ever heard in 
heaven or on earth than this prayer of the Son of 
God Himself. ' ' Spener had this prayer read to 
him three times when on his death-bed, but would 
never venture to preach upon it, ' ' under the convic- 
tion that he did not understand it, and that the 
proper understanding of it required a measure of 
faith beyond that which the Lord commonly im- 
parts to His followers during the time of their 
sojourn upon earth." Bengel remarks: ^^This 
chapter is in wording the easiest, in meaning the 
most profound, in the whole volume of the 
Holy Scriptures." Besser, who in His Hours 
with the Bible," expounds this chapter in the 
form of prayer, says of it : ' ' In all ages, the 
Church, for whom her Head and faithful High- 
priest utters this prayer of eternal force and 
efficacy, has found comfort in it, as the noblest 
jewel in the treasury of the Holy Scriptures, and 
has drawn refreshment from it as from the fullest 
stream of living water." 

3. We can do nothing better than to refresh and 
strengthen our souls at this full stream of living 
water. This prayer of the Eternal High-priest 
is surely heard. How could the Eternal Father 
despise the pleadings of His only-begotten Son ? 
It brings good to us also, if we are only willing 
to accept in humility and simplicity the blessing 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



181 



which flows out toward us from this prayer of our 
High-priest. We shall understand it only when it 
has been completely fulfilled in our own expe- 
rience, when we shall have been admitted to the 
eternal glory and to full communion with the 
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. To this 
eternal consummation, to this glorious and trans- 
cendently blessed exaltation, may the Lord bring 
us all by the virtue of His costly sacrifice and of 
His availing prayer for the sake of His eternal and 
unchanging love. 

PEAYER. 

Lord Jesus, Thou eternal High-priest, who hast, 
through Thine own blood, entered in once into the holy 
place and obtained eternal redemption for us — we render 
Thee praise and thanksgiving that Thou hast by the 
sacrifice of Thyself reconciled us to God, our Father, 
made us free from sin and cleansed us from dead works 
to serve the living God. 0, grant us the aid of Thy 
Holy Spirit, that we may find consolation in this Thy 
holy sacrifice, resting all our confidence upon it, and that 
we may in return give ourselves to Thee, with body, soul 
and spirit, as living sacrifices. With Thy whole Church 
on earth, we turn to Thee as our refuge from all the 
storms and trials of life, for we know that Thou hast a 
tender sympathy for us in our human weakness. Thy 
priesthood is an imperishable one. Thou livest ever- 
more and dost plead for us. Therefore are we of good 
cheer amid all the misery of this earthly life. Thou art 
our advocate with the Father, and the power of Thy 
pleadings for us upholds and strengthens us and lifts us 
up again when we fall. Lord, by Thine intercessions 
cause our prayers to be always effectual and well pleasing 
to God our Father, that they may not be offered in vain, 
but graciously heard and answered. 

O, Thou spotless and innocent High-priest, who art 
higher than the heavens, bless us, Thy poor, needy peo- 
ple, from Thine heavenly throne and lift up the light of 
Thy countenance upon us. Bless us through Thy Holy 



182 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



Word and sacrament. Bless us through the office and 
labors of Thy ministering servants whom Thou hast 
appointed as pastors of Thy flock, and pour out the rich 
streams of Thy grace upon us, that our hearts thus 
refreshed may flourish and blossom in holy faith and love 
unfeigned. Blessed be Thy holy Name forever. Amen. 



Wednesday. Passion History. Part XVL The 
Suffering Saviour Led to Calvary. 

And they took Jesus, took off the purple robe from him, and put 
his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify him. And 
he, bearing his cross, went forth. And there were also two other, 
malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And as they led 
Jesus away, and came out (of the gate) they found a man who 
passed by coming out of the country, by name Simon of Cyrene, 
the father of Alexander and Rufus ; him they laid hold upon and 
compelled him to bear his cross after him and on him they laid 
the cross. 

And there followed him a great company of people, and of 
women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus, 
turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for 
me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, 
the days are coming, in the which they shall say. Blessed are the 
barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never 
gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains. Fall 
on us ; and to the hills. Cover us. For if they do these things in 
a green tree, what t-hall be done in the dry ? (Matt, xxvii. 31, 32 — 
Mark xv. 20, 21— Luke xxiii. 26-32— John xix. 16, 17). 



1. Israel rejected her God and Saviour. The 
verdict has been spoken. The Lord of glory is 
given over into the hands of the soldiers to be 
crucified. Out to Golgotha, the place of execution, 
which has become for us the place of salvation, is 
led the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of 
the world. The Lord is led through the streets of 
Jerusalem, which but a few days before resounded 
with the hosannas of the multitude. He goes forth 
as He in His office as Prophet has announced 
beforehand. The High-priest goes to the place of 
sacrifice, to offer up the eternally valid sin-offering. 
The King, wearing His crown of thorns, leads His 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



183 



coronation procession and prepares to ascend His 
throne. 

The cross lies upon His shoulders. How heavy 
must have been the burden for the body exhausted 
by the long night of torture ! How infinitely more 
heavy for the sinless soul ! It was the sins of the 
whole world then laid upon Him that gave the 
cross its crushing weight. 

2. The holy Cross-bearer is a pattern for us. 
^ ' Whosoever will follow after me, ' ' says Christ, 
^ ' let him deny himself and take up his cross and 
follow after me." The Christian dare never be 
without his cross. Our pathway to everlasting 
happiness must be a pathway beneath the cross. 
The cross is a veiled blessing of God's grace, which 
only faith can understand even by anticipation, 
and which we cannot fully appreciate until we 
shall through the cross have pressed on to wear the 
crown. The Lord lays on no one more than is for 
his good, and chooses for each precisely the cross 
which will be best for him. May He enable us to 
be as patient and humble under our crosses as was 
He under His heavier cross. And may His cross 
be our comfort as we toil onward under our own. 

3. Simon of Cyrene, a stranger, relieves the 
Saviour of His burden. He is compelled to bear 
the cross for the almost fainting prisoner. No one 
of His disciples or friends is near Him in that bitter 
hour. We count that stranger highly favored who 
was permitted to bear the cross of Jesus and afford 
Him this relief upon His pathway of suffering. 



184 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

That the Lord thus Himself experienced how 
comforting it is to find assistance when strugghng 
beneath the cross should give us courage to call 
upon Him for His gracious help when our crosses 
weigh heavily upon us. We may say : ' ^ Lord, Thou 
hast Thyself felt how heavy is the cross. For the 
sake of the help which a poor child of man tendered 
Thee when on Thy path of pain, do Thou now 
support us and help us to bear the burden of our 
cross. ' ' 

4. It was a part of the humiliation of Christ 
that He, the Lord of glory, should be bewailed and 
lamented by the women of Jerusalem. And yet 
were their tears a cordial for Him in that hour 
when there was no other source of comfort. He 
then felt the sweetness and comfort of human 
sympathy and is therefore so merciful and sympa- 
thetic a Saviour, to whom we can so confidently 
flee in every hour of distress. 

5. The Lord rewards the sympathy of the weep- 
ing women by uttering His last call to repentance. 
May it be for us, too, a reminder of the awful 
solemnity of the judgment that shall come upon 
the whole world, that we may repent before the 
day of grace is ended. The wrath of a holy God 
burns like fire, as we may see in the green tree," 
the tree of life, Jesus Christ. Because He took 
upon Himself our sins, He bears now the wrath 
of God against sin. How terribly will not the 
righteous judgment of God not come upon us, 
unfruitful trees and dry wood, if He spared not 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



185 



His only-begotten Son, but so terribly visited the 
sins of the world upon Him ! May the Lord be 
merciful to us on the Day of Judgment for the sake 
of Jesus Christ, who has borne the heavy burden 
of our sins. 

PRAYEE. 

O, dearest Lord Jesus, who didst bear the heavy cross 
on Thy dolorous way to Golgotha, grant that we, who are 
by nature strangers to Thee, may be permitted in sym- 
pathy and love to feel the pressure of the cruel burden laid 
on Thee. May we go forth with Thee without the gate, 
bearing Thy reproach. May we share Thy sorrows with 
Thee and be drawn ever closer to Thy burdened, loving 
heart. For us art Thou led forth to be crucified. Our sins 
are the real cross that rests upon Thy heart. Teach us 
to hate them with a perfect hatred, and to love Thee 
sincerely, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sins 
of the world. Grant us Thy heavenly strength, that we 
may bear after Thee whatever crosses Thou mayest, in 
Thy wise and good providence, lay upon us. And may we 
bear them meekly and in patience, ever remembering the 
burden Thou didst bear and thus remove from us for- 
ever. Amen. 

Thursday. The Celebration of the Lor (T s Supper.^ 

23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered 
unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was 
betrayed took bread : 

24. And when he had given thanks, he brake zV, and said, Take, 
eat : this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in remem- 
brance of me. 

25. After the same manner also ke took the cup, when he had 
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood : this 
do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do 
shew the Lord's death till he come. 

* The Gospel for Maundy-Thursday (John xiii. 1-15) was the basis 
of our brief meditation upon the Third Part of the Passion History. We, 
therefore, now present the Epistle lesson, and with it a short com- 
mentary upon the Fifth Part of the Catechism, following mainly the 
excellent treatment of the latter found in Besser's "Hours with the 
Bible." It is thought that this may prove helpful as a preparation 
for the celebration of the Holy Supper. 



186 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this 
cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and 
blood of the Lord. 

28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that 
bread, and drink of that cup. 

29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, "and 
many sleep. 

^i. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 
32. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, 
that we should not be condemned with the world (i Cor. xi. 23-32). 

1. Before parting from His disciples, the Lord 
gave them in the Holy Supper an inestimably 
precious and comforting legacy. The holy sacra- 
ment is the Church's brightest jewel. What can 
be more comforting and glorious than the gracious 
presence in His Church of Him who is true God 
and true man ? What can unite us to Christ more 
really and intimately than the reception of His body 
and blood? How can the eternal grace of God be 
more surely imparted and appropriated than when 
Jesus Christ gives Himself to us as our portion? 
In Him is wrapped up our salvation, life and 
everlasting happiness. If we have Him we have 
all that we need, and more than heaven and earth 
can offer us. 

If we wish to gain a view of the full blessed- 
ness and glory which are imparted to us in the 
Holy Supper, so far as this can be revealed in 
poor human thought and language, we must first 
of all bear clearly in mind and write it upon our 
hearts, that it is the eternal Son of God Himself 
who has established this legacy in clear, plain 
words. To this fact St. Paul appeals when he 
says : ' ' I have received it from the Lord. ' ' It is. 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



187 



therefore, a secure and firmly established legacy. 
' ' Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my 
words shall not pass away, ' ' says the Lord. This 
word, therefore, by which He institutes the Holy 
Supper, shall not pass away — no jot nor tittle of it. 
We therefore humbly bow before this word and 
pray to Him who is Eternal Love, who therein 
bestows upon us such rich blessings. 

2. The Lord said : '^This is my body. This 
cup is the new testament in my blood.'' AVe, 
therefore, in our beloved Church, to the question 
of the Catechism, ^^What is the Sacrament of 
the Altar?" respond and confess with the assur- 
ance of unwavering faith : ^ ^ It is the true body 
and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, imder the 
bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for 
us Christians to eat and to drink." The eyes 
see only the bread and wine. But faith recog- 
nizes the true body and the true blood of Christ 
m, ivith and under the bread and wine, because 
the Word of Christ cannot deceive us. ' ' Here 
stands the declaration," says Luther, '^and reads 
bright and clear, that Christ gives- His body to 
eat when He offers the bread. Upon this we 
stand, believing and teaching that in the Lord's 
Supper we truly and bodily take to ourselves and 
eat the body of Christ." Therefore also does St. 
Paul testify: '^The cup of blessing which we 
bless, is it not the communion of the blood of 
Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the 
communion of the body of Christ?" Bread and 



188 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

wine are the visible signs and elements ; the body 
and blood of Jesus Christ are the invisible, prom- 
ised, gracious gifts. 

' ' The Lord made bread and wine the vehicles of 
His grace, because bread is the noblest food and 
wine the noblest drink, by which the body of man 
is nourished and strengthened. In a similar way 
the Lord desires to nourish and strengthen us with 
His precious body and blood. Holy Baptism is 
the sacrament of the new birth ; the Holy Sup- 
per the sacrament of nourishment for the new life. 
By Baptism we are implanted in new life ; by the 
Holy Supper preserved and strengthened in it. 
Surely, a great and trustworthy pledge of our 
salvation ! A greater the Lord could not have 
given us ; for what is greater than He Himself ? 
What is more intimately united with Him than 
His human nature, which has been taken up into 
the most blessed fellowship of the adorable Trin- 
ity, and has been made, as it were, the custodian 
and dispenser of heavenly blessings ? What is 
more closely bound up with Him than flesh and 
blood ? And now, behold ! With this truly 
heavenly food He quickens us poor worms of the 
dust, making us partakers of His nature, and, 
therefore, certainly of His grace. Christ esteems 
us highly, for He purchased us at an amazing 
price ; He esteems us highly, for He nourishes 
us with the most noble and precious gifts ; He 
esteems us highly, for we are His flesh and mem- 
bers of His body. Lo ! here is more than Para- 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



189 



dise ! Here the Creator feeds the creature with His 
own flesh. The blood of the Son of God cleanses 
the penitent heart. The body of Christ, which has 
become one with the one divine Being worshiped 
by the angels, adored by archangels, before v/hom 
principalities and powers tremble— this body be- 
comes our spiritual food. Therefore rejoice, 
Heavens, and be glad, Earth ! But far more 
exult thou, believing Soul, that such glorious 
gifts are bestowed upon thee" (John Gerhard). 
So precious is this sacrament to the believer. Of 
it Mathesius in his old age wrote to a friend : 
' ' O, my friend, cling fast to the Word ! When 
I, some years ago, lost sight of the four words, 
' This is my body, ' and looked upon them with 
human eyes, I was terrified and fell into great 
temptation, anxiety and distress. But I perse- 
vered in prayer, and found refuge again upon the 
mother's breast ; then I became again quiet in 
conscience and full of joy, for which I shall thank 
God to all eternity.'' So do we, too, stand by 
our confession, that the body and blood of the 
Lord are given m, with^ and under the bread and 
wine in the Holy Supper, and that through this 
sacramental communion, or fellowship, is effected 
also the true communion, or fellowship, of the Lord 
with His believing followers, and of these with 
their fellow-worshipers. But how this wonderful 
communion is effected, we do not desire to fathom, 
but commit the problem to the Divine Omnipo- 
tence. ' ' We know nothing more of this mystery 



190 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

than that the Word of God is true, and powerful, 
and almighty ; the How is inscrutable. It is 
not the word or work of. any man — whether the 
worthiness or language of the administrator, or 
the act of eating and drinking, or the faith of the 
communicants — which secures this true presence 
of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Sup- 
per ; but it is to be attributed solely to the power 
of Almighty God, and to the Word, institution 
and appointment of Christ. For the true and 
almighty words of Jesus Christ, which He uttered 
at the original institution of the sacred ordinance, 
were not alone effectual in that first celebration of 
the Holy Supper, but they yet endure, avail, act, 
and exert their power, so that in all places where 
the Holy Supper is celebrated according to the ap- 
pointment of Christ, and His words employed, by 
virtue and power of these same words which 
Christ employed in the first celebration, the body 
and blood of Christ are truly present, distributed 
and received. For wherever the ordinance of 
Christ is properly observed, His words spoken over 
the bread and the cup, and the consecrated bread 
and wine distributed — there, through the words 
spoken, and by virtue of the original institution 
of the sacrament, Christ Himself is yet effectually 
present, through the Word which He appointed 
to be there repeated; as Chrysostom says in his 
sermon upon the passion of Christ : ' Christ 
Himself prepares this Table, and blesses it, for no 
man makes the bread and wine here presented 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



191 



the body and blood of Christ, but Christ Himself, 
who was crucified for us. ' The words are spoken 
by the mouth of the administrator, but it is by 
the power and grace of God that through the 
words which He utters, ^ This is my body, ' the 
elements presented in the Holy Supper are con- 
secrated. And as the words, ' Be fruitful and 
multiply, and replenish the earth,' were spoken 
but once, but are yet, through all ages, effectual 
in the realm of the natural life, enabling it to 
grow and multiply ; so was this Word also spoken 
but once, but it is powerful to this day, and will 
be effectual until the (second) coming of Christ, 
bringing it to pass that His true body and blood 
are present in the Holy Supper of the Churches ' ' 
(Formula of Concord). By this we stand, and 
do not permit ourselves to be enticed from this 
simple and comforting faith, either by Satan or by 
the world and all its hosts ; but, on the contrary, 
we pray every day : Lord, make us steadfast in 
these evil days, that we may preserve Thy Word 
and sacrament in their purity until our life on 
earth is ended. ' ' 

3. In the second place : ' ' Of what use is such 
eating and drinking ? " It is shown us by these 
words : ^ ' Given and shed for you for the remis- 
sion of sins ; for where there is forgiveness of sins 
there is also life and salvation." 

For the forgiveness of sins the Lord gave up 
His body and shed His blood. We partake of 
this sacrifice of Christ in the sacrificial meal of 



192 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

the new covenant as an assurance to us that it was 
really presented to God for us, and for us accepted 
by Him. He Avho thus becomes a partaker with 
Christ has also the power and blessing of His holy 
sacrifice ; his sins are all forgiven and he is recon- 
ciled to God. The forgiveness of sins is the sum 
and substance of all blessings of grace announced 
in the New Testament. He who has obtained the 
forgiveness of his sins is graciously accepted of 
God, and has, therefore, hfe and everlasting hap- 
piness. We received the forgiveness of sins, in- 
deed, in Holy Baptism. But inasmuch as sin is 
not yet entirely extinguished, the old Adam not 
yet entirely crucified, and the new man not yet 
grown to full maturity, we are constantly again fall- 
ing into sin. We must, therefore, be constantly 
again drawing near to God in true penitence. In 
the Sacrament of the Altar we receive ever anew 
grace and forgiveness : " We are thereby assured 
that although we have aroused the anger of our 
Father in Heaven, He will yet pardon us for this, 
and will still be and remain our gracious Father. 
And, therefore, while Baptism is a certain assur- 
ance that God has accepted us as children, the 
Lord's Supper (is such an assurance) that He will 
not make us suffer for our disobedience. ' ' 

Through the Word of God also, it is true, are 
given to us strength and comfort. But since our 
faith is so very weak and timid, our dear Lord 
Jesus Christ has been pleased to attach His body 
and blood to the bread and wine in the Sacrament, 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



193 



and in these elements offer them for our reception, 
in order that we might the more firmly, and 
without any wavering, believe with confidence 
that His body has been given and His blood shed 
for us for the forgiveness of sins, and that they 
nourish us unto life and everlasting blessedness. 
Thus the Sacrament is chiefly a food for the soul ; 
but not only such. The eternal life which he 
who in faith partakes of Christ's body and blood 
possesses is a life of the whole man. As truly as 
Christ is risen again from the grave, so truly shall 
also the body of His members, which is nourished 
with this His holy body, arise again and not see death 
forever. ^ ' Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh 
my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him 
up at the last day," saith the Lord. Hence some 
of the Fathers of the Church have very beautifully 
called the food offered in the Lord's Supper a 
' ' medicine of immortality. ' ' \' By virtue of this 
body of Christ," cries Chrysostom, ^^I am no 
more dust and ashes — no more a prisoner, but 
free. By virtue of this body, I hope to enter the 
heavenly Paradise. ' ' And Luther says : ^ ^ If we 
eat Him spiritually through the Word, He re- 
mains in us spiritually in the soul ; if we eat Him 
bodily, He remains also in us bodily. As we eat 
Him, so does He remain in us and we in Him. 
For He is not digested and transformed, but He 
without ceasing transforms us, the soul into 
righteousness, the body into immortality." 

It was alone through sin that death entered the 
13 



194 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

world. If we receive in the Holy Supper the for- 
giveness of sins, then must death be thereby 
overcome and eternal life imparted to us. Jesus 
Christ, by His sacrifice, makes good all the damage 
wrought by sin. He heals us entirely, and frees 
body and soul from their inherited infirmities. It 
is in order that the body also may be thoroughly 
healed and prepared for everlasting life that He 
gives us for our nourishment His body and blood. 
And it is just this complete union with Christ, 
both spiritual and bodily, which affords us our 
most precious consolation. . . . Since now 
such extraordinarily precious gifts, embracing in 
themselves such rich blessings, are offered to us 
in the Lord's Supper, we should often desire and 
receive them, and thus, with true gratitude, show 
forth the Lord's death as the ground of our 
reconciliation with God, and thus of our life and 
salvation. Our approach to the Lord's Supper 
is thus always a proclaiming of the salvation- 
bringing death of Jesus Christ, through whom the 
gracious blessings of the sacrifice have at such a 
price been procured for us. 

4. The third question of our Catechism is: 
^^How can bodily eating and drinking do such 
great things?" And the reply : It is not the 
eating and drinking, indeed, that does it, but the 
words which stand here : ' Given and shed for you, 
for the remission of sins.' These v/ords, together 
with the bodily eating and drinking, are the chief 
thing in the Sacrament ; and he that beheves 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



195 



these words, has what they say and mean, namely, 
the forgiveness of sms." Just as the preached 
Word of God enters the ears of all with its somid, 
but displays its saving power only in those who 
do not resist it, but hold still and surrender 
their hearts to the Lord that He may open them ; 
so does also every communicant at the Lord's 
Table receive with the mouth the body and blood 
of Christ, but this reception proves a blessing to 
those only who at the same time receive spiritu- 
ally the heavenly gift, i. e. , who believe in their 
hearts that it is the body given for them, the blood 
shed for them, for the remission of sins. He 
who does not hear the Word of God unto life 
hears it unto death ; and thus he. who does not re- 
ceive the body and blood of Christ unto blessing 
receives it unto condemnation. ^ ^ Whoso eateth ^ 
of this bread and drinketh of this cup unworth- 
ily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not 
discerning the Lord's body.'' Thus the loftiest 
blessings and the heaviest curse lie here side by 
side. The treasure is indeed opened and placed 
at everyone's door, yea, upon everyone's table ; 
but it is necessary that you also take of it and 
confidently regard it as the words give it to you ' ' 
(Luther, Larger Catechism). We should there- 
fore come to the Lord's Supper in true faith, and 
so receive the costly gifts that they may serve us 
unto life, for which purpose they were given, and 
not, on account of our unbelief, unto death and 
condemnation. 



196 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

5. To the fourth question : ^ ^ Who then receives 
this sacrament worthily ? " we have been taught 
to reply : ' ' Fasting and bodily preparation are 
indeed a good outward discipline ; but he is truly 
worthy and well prepared who has faith in these 
words : ' Given and shed for you, for the remission 
of sins/ But he who believes not these words, 
or doubts, is unworthy and unprepared ; for the 
words, for you, require truly believing hearts.'' 
They are, then, worthy guests, who need the for- 
giveness of sins, and believe that they may find it 
in the Lord's Supper. In our own nature we are all 
alike unworthy to partake of the precious blessings 
of the Holy Supper, and must confess : ' ' Lord, I 
am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under 
my roof." But our merciful Saviour will kindly 
receive everyone who feels his need and from his 
heart desires the forgiveness of his sins. ^'He 
filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich 
He sendeth empty away.'* All that labor and are 
heavy-laden He calls to Himself that He may give 
them„ rest, and to the sick He offers His true help. 
Hence it is above all things necessary that we 
recognize our sickness, that we feel weary and 
heavy-laden, and that we experience a hungering 
and thirsting for the grace of God. Whoever fol- 
lows the admonition of the apostle and earnestly 
examines himself must surely recognize his own 
need. In the Ten Commandments a mirror is held 
up before us in which we can see what is our own 
spiritual condition. To him who proves Himself 



SIXTH WEEK IN LENT. 



197 



by this Law and by the Apostles' Creed, and earn- 
estly examines his own heart and life, there is left 
no other course but humbly to smite upon his 
breast and cry : ^ ' God have mercy upon me a 
sinner." He who thus judges himself and bows 
in sincere penitence, thereafter gladly lays hold 
upon the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God 
when offered by the mercy of Christ. It is indeed 
a wonderful thing, that the Lord should be willing 
to give life and salvation to lost sinners — that He 
should even have given His body to death and 
shed His blood for them. To believe this requires 

truly believing hearts.'' But the mouth of the 
Lord says, ^ ' Broken for you, shed for you, ' ' and 
we should therefore not doubt, but lay hold in 
faith. The more our sins oppress and burn us, 
the more readily are we prepared to believe the 
incomprehensible miracle of grace. 

For our proper preparation for receiving the 
Holy Supper, Confession has been appointed, in 
which we acknowledge our sins and receive the 
blessed absolution and forgiveness of the same. 
May the Lord grant us always truly penitent and 
believing hearts, that we may receive the Lord's 
Supper unto blessing and not unto condemnation. 
To him who receives it worthily, that is, in true 
penitence and real faith, will be therein imparted 
the power of eternal life to his sanctification and 
everlasting salvation. For where Christ is, there 
must be also salvation and sanctification. It must 
be our aim to become entire and completely one 



198 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

with Christ. His hfe must become manifest in us. 
He desires to be formed within His followers, that 
the glory of the Head may be recognized in the 
members — that our life may be the life of Christ in 
us. What can bring us nearer to this goal than 
partaking of the body and blood of Christ ? Born 
to the new life in Christ through Holy Baptism, 
cheered and led by the Word of God, nourished 
and strengthened through the Holy Supper, we 
press onward amid conflicts and earnest strivings 
toward the end of our course, when, perfectly 
transfigured into the image and character of Jesus 
Christ, we shall behold Him, and live and walk 
with Him to all eternity. 



PEAYER. 

0, Lord Jesus Christ, we thank Thee that, out of Thy 
great love for Thy Church on earth. Thou hast ordained a 
holy Sacrament, in which Thou givest us Thy body to eat 
and Thy blood to drink, for the strengthening of our 
faith, and for the spiritual comfort of our hearts. What 
shall we render unto Thee for this. Thy grace, that Thou 
hast honored and blessed Thy Church with such precious 
gifts? In the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, when we yet 
lay in our mother's arms, Thou didst receive us as Thy 
children by the washing of regeneration, and incorporate 
us into Thy body ; and now, in the Sacrament of the 
Lord's Supper, Thou dost nourifch our souls with divine 
food, that thereby we may be more closely united with 
Thee, be strengthened in all holy desires, have more of 
Thy pure and holy mind, and be, and remain, in body, 
soul and spirit, Thine forever. Grant us Thy help, 
Lord, that we may be at all times prepared to receive 
Thee in this Holy Sacrament. Take Thou up Thine 
abode within us, and give us grace, that as living 
branches in Thee, the true Vine, we may ever bring 
forth the fruits of holiness to Thine eternal glory. 
Amen. 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



199 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



The Divine High-priest, Jesus Christ, offers 
upon Calyary the eternall}^ effectual sacrifice for 
the sins of the world, and passes through His 
own blood into the Holy Place to reconcile us and 
the whole world to God. He has thus obtained 
an eternal redemption for all who in faith receive 
His grace. 



Passion History. Part XVII. The Crucifixion of 
Christ. 

And they brought him to the place which is called in the Hebrew 
Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, the place of a skull. 
And they gave unto him wine and myrrh, vinegar mingled with 
gall, but he received it not ; and when he had tasted thereof, he 
would not drink. And there they crucified him, and the two 
malefactors with him, one on the right hand and the other on the 
left, and Jesus in the midst. And the scripture was fulfilled^ 
which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. It was 
about the third hour, when they crucified him. Then said Jesus, 
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 

And Pilate wrote a title, the superscription of his accusation, 
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS, and they 
set it up over his head upon the cross. This title then read many 
of the Jews : for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh 
to the city: and it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. 
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The 
King of the Jews ; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate 
answered. What I have written, I have written. 

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his gar- 
ments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also his 
coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top 
throughout. They said therefore among themselves. Let us not, 
rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be : that the scripture 
might be fulfilled, which saith. They parted my raiment among 
them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things there- 
fore the soldiers did. And they sat down and watched him there. 

And the people stood beholding. And they that passed by 
reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying. Ah, thou that 
destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days. If thou be 
the Son of God, come down from the cross. And the rulers also 
with them derided him. Likewise also the chief priests mocking 
said among themselves with the scribes and elders. He saved 
others, himself he cannot save. If he be Christ, the King of 
Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will 
believe him. Let him save himself, if he be the chosen of God. 
He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him : 
for he said, I am the Son of God. And the soldiers also mocked 



200 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying. If 
thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. And one of the male- 
factors also, which were crucified with him, railed on him^ say- 
ing. If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other an- 
swering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou 
art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we 
receive the due reward of our deeds : but this man hath done 
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me 
when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him. 
Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in para- 
dise. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his 
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Mag- 
dalena. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple 
standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, 
behold thy son ! Then said he to the disciple, Behold thy mother ! 
And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land 
unto the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened. And at the 
ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, 
lama sabachthani ? Which is, being interpreted. My God, my 
God, why hast thou forsaken me ? And some of them that stood 
by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said. It is 
finished. 

And again he cried with a loud voice, and said. Father, into 
thy hands I commend my spirit : and having said thus, he bowed 
his head and gave up the ghost. 

And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the 
top to the bottom ; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent ; 
and the graves were opened : and many bodies of the saints 
which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrec- 
tion, and appeared unto many. And when the centurion, which 
stood over against him, and they that were with him, saw the 
earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly 
and glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man ; 
truly this was the Son of God. And all the people that came 
together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, 
smote their breasts and returned. 

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the 
bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day (for 
that Sabbath day was a high day), besought Pilate that their legs 
might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then 
came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the 
other which was crucified with him. But when they came to 
Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs ; 
but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forth- 
with came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bear 
record, and his record is true : and he knoweth that he saith true, 
that ye might believe. For these things were done that the 
scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom 
they pierced (Matt, xxvii. 33-54; Mark xv. 22-39; Luke xxiii. 33- 
48 ; John xix. 18-37). 



1. The sacred narrative to-day places us beneath 
the cross on Golgotha. It is the proper position 
for every believing soul. Let us there remain 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



201 



throughout all the hours of this hallowed day, 
beholding our crucified Lord. 

On Mount Sinai God gave the Law — on Mount 
Calvary He through Christ abrogated the curse of 
the Law. From Sinai sounds forth the stern voice 
of the Law — from Calvary the sweet and gracious 
tones of the Gospel. On Sinai the old covenant 
was established — on Calvary the new covenant in 
Christ. Sinai is sacred to us, but Calvary is bathed 
in the very glory of heaven ! Behold the Lord 
approaching — the King of the world ! What a 
Coronation Day ! The Lord escorted by male- 
factors, soldiers, a curious multitude and reviling 
Pharisees ! The King, wearing His crown of 
thorns, leads on, to ascend Plis throne, the cross. 
To common criminals, the Jews gave wine mingled 
with myrrh, to mitigate the sufferings of their 
dying hours ; to the Lord they offered vinegar 
mingled with gall, to add to His torture. Such 
was the libation poured in honor of the King ! 
He had given them manna in the wilderness and 
water from the rock ; they gave Him vinegar and 
gall ! The Lord refused to drink. He wished to 
die calmly and with unclouded mind. But He 
noted their base cruelty, and it was more bitter to 
Him than gall. Our sins are the bitterest ingredient 
in His cup of suffering. 

Here was fulfilled the Psalmist's prophecy : 
Reproach hath broken my heart ; and I am full 
of heaviness : and I looked for some to take pity, 
but there was none ; and for comforters, but I 



202 MEDITATIONS FOB THE PASSION SEASON. 

found none. They gave me also gall for my meat ; 
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." 

2. '^And there they crucified Him." Few and 
simple words — but they record the greatest and 
most wonderful event of all the ages ! ' ' They cru- 
cified Him." See ! they bind Him to the cruel 
cross. His lacerated back is pressed against the 
rough timbers. Rude nails are driven through His 
hands and feet. And there the suffering Victim 
hangs in the glow of mid-day, unprotected from 
the scorching rays of the noon-day sun. Every 
shghtest movement of His body causes unutterable 
torment. 0, Lord Jesus ! what hast Thou borne 
for me, who have so oft forgotten Thee ! When I 
look upon the cross, I learn how great my sins, 
that press so heavily upon Thee, the Holy One of 
God. 

Behold, there flows His sacred blood ! It falls 
to the ground. To think that this poor earth has 
drunken its Creator's blood ! That blood cries to 
heaven wdth a louder voice than the blood of Abel ; 
but it calls not for vengeance, but for grace and 
forgiveness. 

With outstretched hands Christ scatters His 
blood as seed, from which springs our salvation. 
With what pain, and yet how exultantly, must 
not the angels have looked upon that scene. Look 
thou, too, upon thy dying Lord with sorrow for 
His sufferings and thy sins— with joy in His rich 
grace and thy deliverance. Then shall He for thee 
not have died in vain. See, He reaches out toward 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



203 



thee the arms of love ! Fall upon His breast, 
child of man, and there find deliverance and peace. 
Lord ! how much Thou hast borne and suffered 
for us ! Help us to love Thee as we ought ! 

3. Upon the cross behold th}^ Lord and Saviour. 
Until this time the cross has been an emblem of 
shame ; it is now sanctified, and shall henceforth 
be the symbol of ricliest blessing and glorious vic- 
tory. We place it now upon the robes and caskets 
of our dead, as a testimony that the Lord upon the 
cross conquered death and obtained for us eternal 
life. We carry the cross before the casket as we 
bear the bodies of the dead to the tomb, for since 
the Lord has died for us upon the cross every 
funeral procession for a departed saint becomes a 
triumphal march. We plant the cross upon our 
graves, as a token of victory, to signify that they 
who here sleep have through Jesus and His cross 
overcome sin and sorrow, the world and death, 
and are now but awaiting the final proclamation of 
their victory and their eternal glory. 

The early Christians associated many beautiful 
ideas with the cross of Christ. In Paradise, 
observes one, a green and flourishing tree led our 
first parents into sin ; here an old tree, a piece of 
dry and accursed wood, becomes the true tree of 
life. The cross is a sword, drawn in the service 
of Satan, but inverted, its point piercing the head 
of the serpent — a sword which vanquishes the 
world, death and the devil. It is a ladder reaching 
from the earth to the skies — see that thou ascend 



204 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

upon it into heaven ! It is a throne of grace ; upon 
it hangs between heaven and earth He who is to 
be the Mediator betw^een earth and heaven. It is 
planted in the earth ; but it points upward toward 
heaven, as an intimation that we are through the 
cross to overcome the world and press upward to 
the skies. It stretches out its arms to right and 
left above the earth, as though to indicate that all 
the nations may, in its shadow, find rest and 
peace. 

4. Upon the cross, in addition to the suffering, 
the Lord endures reproach and scorn. A word — 
a glance from Him — and the earth would have 
swallowed up His revilers and murderers. But 
He bears all in silence. Thus w^as fufilled the 
prophecy of Isaiah : ' ^ He w^as oppressed and He 
was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He 
is brought as a lamb to the slaughter." 

Even upon the cross He opened His lips only in 
prayer and blessing. For His murderers He prays : 

Father, forgive them ; they know not what they 
do." Wonderful, unfathomable meekness ! His 
enemies have only words of mockery and scorn 
upon their lips ; He, only prayer and blessings. 
Their delight is in murder ; His, in forgiveness. 
Shall we not learn from Him to forgive our enemies 
and to pray for them ? For the penitent thief, too, 
He has words of comfort and blessing : ^ ' Verily I 
say unto you, to-day shalt thou be with me in 
Paradise." Up to the last moment. He finds His 
joy in forgiving and blessing. Bless me, too, O 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



205 



Lord, and forgive all my sins, that when Thou call- 
est me away, I too may be with Thee in Paradise ! 

Words of love He speaks until His lips are cold 
in death. Woman, behold thy son," says He to 
His sorrowing mother. 0, Thou Lord of love and 
comfort ! Let Thy loving compassion comfort me 
in all my sorrows. 

5. About the third hour they crucified Him, 
and about the sixth hour, at noon, a great darkness 
covered the land and the sun was darkened. 
Nature refuses to smile while her Creator suffers. 
She hides herself in mourning when He mourns. 
The sun is darkened, because the Light of the 
World is extinguished. 

Then draws near the most trying hour for our 
suffering Lord. His soul is plunged into the 
deepest agony. Enshrouded in gloom by the 
hiding of His Father' s face. He exclaims : ' ' My 
God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" 
0, what pangs of grief, what depths of sorrow! 
The Holy One, the Eternal Son, co-equal with the 
Father, must experience the curse of divine aban- 
donment. His inmost nature lacerated and torn 
asunder ! How is it possible that God the Son 
should be forsaken by God the Father ? No one 
can explain it. The pain which the Saviour there 
endured, no human soul can comprehend. We 
can only understand that for the Lord the most 
trying hour has now come. In that moment the 
Holy One of God experiences the pains of hell. 
The fire of the divine wrath burns in His soul. To 



206 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

be forsaken of God is nothing less than to suffer 
the pains of perdition. And even this deepest 
suffering of all the Lord endured, not on His own 
account, for He was pure and without sin, but 
for us. In order that we might not be eternally 
forsaken of God and cast into hell, He here 
appeared as our substitute. How can we ever 
suitably thank Him for such love? For such 
compassion the complete surrender of our whole 
life to His service will be but a poor and meagre 
tribute of thanksgiving. 

6. In the deep anguish of His soul, the Saviour's 
bodily strength fails Him and He almost faints 
away. I thirst," He cries. 0, the depth of His 
humiliation ! He who provides for us so abun- 
dantly the water of life, refreshing so many fainting 
souls with draughts so quickening that they can 
never thirst again, now yearns for a drop of cold 
water to cool His tongue. 

Amid the scorn and mockery of his foes. He 
accepts the last poor boon ; then faintly cries : 
^ ' It is finished. ' ' Blessed word ! Finished is 
the work of redemption — for all men, for thee and 
for me ! Finished, the cruel, bitter sufferings ! 
Finished, the mighty conflict ! Jesus, my Sav- 
iour, closes His eyes in death. The Prince of 
Peace has peacefully fallen asleep. The Son of 
Life sinks to rest in the silent night of death. 0, 
precious word ! It is finished ! When the night 
of death draws near, gladly would I lay my head to 
rest upon the stone that closes the Saviour's 



GOOD FRIDAY. 



207 



sepulchre. Pillowed thus, like Jacob, I shall 
softly slumber. The angels of God will hover 
around me, while the gate of heaven opens above 
me. . 0, blessed word of life, ' ' It is finished ! ' ' 

7. Yet once more we look upon our dying 
Lord, and once more hear Him speak, ' ' Father, 
into Thy hands I commend my spirit," and 
^ ' having said thus He bowed His head and gave 
up the ghost. ' ' Thus simply does the pen of in- 
spiration record this most wonderful, sublime and 
glorious event. The Lord bows His holy head — 
pale, bleeding, beneath the crown of thorns. 0, 
man ! look upon this pale, tortured, and yet so 
peaceful, countenance. Look upon this glazing 
eye — full of anguish, and yet full of love. On 
account of thy sins, this bright star goes out in 
night. To deliver thee from death, upon this 
noble brow falls the pallor of death. 

' ' He bowed His head and died. ' ' There is a 
deep tremor of the heart — and — the Saviour is 
dead ! Who can fathom the mystery? He is 
dead, who has life in Himself, and who longs to 
give life to all men ! Break, my poor heart ! in 
grief and penitence. Alas ! alas ! my Saviour, 
Jesus, is dead ! 

8. The Eternal Son of God has died upon the 
cross. Life is dead. Nothing can seem more 
absurd than thus to speak ; but it expresses the 
deepest truth. He gave Himself to death, that 
we might have life. The earth trembles when He 
dies. The veil in the temple is rent in twain. 



208 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

The way of approach to the Holy Place is now no 
longer closed against us. The rocks are torn 
asunder and the graves are opened. The life- 
giving power of the Mighty One, who now sub- 
mits to the embrace of death, is manifested upon 
the sleeping dead. Many bodies of the saints 
arise, and appear to many after His resurrection. 
Thus shall we all one day feel the thrill of the 
Lord's life-giving power. All the graves shall be 
opened and we shall arise. By His death Christ 
has despoiled death of his power, and the com- 
plete victory will be manifest to all at the resur- 
rection of the last day. 

The Easter morning is approaching, when we 
shall celebrate the resurrection of the Lord. And 
soon will come the last Easter morning, when the 
Crucified One shall appear in His majesty. Then 
shall we behold the Despised and Rejected One in 
His eternal glory. May the Lord grant us in this 
earthly pilgrimage of sorrow true repentance and 
simple faith, that we may bear a part in the 
joys of the eternal Easter Day, and join with 
happy voices in the everlasting hallelujahs of the 
risen saints. May He lead us through all earth's 
trials and sufferings to eternal glory by the power 
of His bitter sufferings and death. There shall 
we praise him more worthily than we can do in 
our weak, mortal life ; and there, too, shall we 
more clearly understand His wonderful love than 
we can do amid the storms and conflicts which 
beset us here. Lord Jesus, accept our poor thank- 



GOOD FRIDAY EVENING. 



209 



offerings^ until we shall bring Thee worthier sacri- 
fices and render loftier songs of praise before 
Thy throne, for ever and ever. Amen. 

PEAYEE. 

O, Jesus Christ, our dear Lord and Saviour, we draw 
nigh to Thee to-day in holy Sabbath stillness, and earnestly 
implore Thy grace. The Holy Passion Season is ended. 
We have followed Thee with sorrowing hearts through the 
midst of cruel persecutions to Gesthemane and Golgotha, 
where Thou didst bow Thy sacred head and die. 0, may 
w^e never forget how heavily the chastisement of our peace 
was laid upon Thee. Our faithful Eedeemer ! Thou hast 
finished the great work of our deliverance. may Thy 
death be our life. Thy righteousness our salvation, Thy 
death-struggle our victory and eternal peace. Lay hold 
upon us with the hand of Thy Holy Spirit and translate 
us into the fellowship of Thy life, that from henceforth 
our old man may be with Thee crucified and buried into 
death, and that we may arise to a new life with Thee. 
Enkindle our hearts with the love wherewdth Thou hast 
loved us even unto death, that we may love Thee in re- 
turn with true ardor of soul and bear Thy cross after Thee 
in faith and patience. Lord Jesus, as Thou didst com- 
mend Thy spirit into the hands of Thy Heavenly Father, 
so do we, with fttll confidence in the power of Thy re- 
deeming work, commit our spirits, with our sotils and 
bodies, into Thine almighty hand. 0, Lord, may the 
preaching of Thy cross become a message of peace and the 
power of God to all men and to all lands, that even 
those who are yet afar off may be delivered from their 
sins, and with us magnify Thy grace and glory. For 
Thoti, Lord, hast bought tis with Thine own blood, and 
art worthy to receive strength and power, and honor and 
glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 



GOOD FRIDAY EVENING. 
Passion History. Part XVIII. The Burial of Christ. 

And now when the even was come, because it was the prepa- 
ration, that is, the day before the Sabbath, came a rich man of 
Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, named Joseph, an honorable 

14 



210 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



counsellor, a good man and a just, who had not consented to the 
counsel and deed of them, for he waited for the kingdom of God, 
and was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews. He 
went in boldly unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus, that he 
might take it away. And Pilate marveled if he were already 
dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether 
he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the cen- 
turion, he gave the body to Joseph and commanded that it be 
delivered to him. And Joseph went and bought fine linen and 
took down the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, 
which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture 
of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took 
they the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and 
wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the 
Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there 
was a garden ; and in the garden a new sepulchre, which Joseph 
had hewn out in the rock, wherein was never man yet laid. There 
laid they Jesus therefore, because of the Jews' preparation day, 
because the Sabbath drew on, and the sepulchre was nigh at 
hand. And they rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, 
and departed. And the women also, which came with him from 
Galilee, followed after, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of 
Joses, and they sat over against the sepulchre, and beheld how 
his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and 
ointments; and rested the Sabbath day, according to the com- 
mandment. 

Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the 
chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, 
Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, 
After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the 
sepulchre be-made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come 
by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen 
from the dead : so the last error shall be worse than the first. 
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch, go your way, make it 
as sure as ye can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure, 
sealing the stone and setting a watch (Matt, xxvii. 57-66— Mark 
XV. 42-47— Luke xxiii. 50-56— John xix. 38-42). 

1. Joseph of Arimathsea, a rich man and hon- 
ored counsellor, ventures to go to Pilate. Thus 
was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah : He made 
His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in 
His death." Joseph and Nicodemus, who have 
hitherto been only secret followers of the Lord, 
now come out openly upon His side. Crucified 
love has overcome their fear of man. Jesus has 
not been ashamed to die for them upon the cross, 
and they are now no longer ashamed of Him. 
Thus should all timid souls and all secret adherents 
of the Lord Jesus take courage, and by word and 



GOOD FRIDAY EVENING. 



211 



deed openly proclaim their loyalty to the crucified 
Saviour, that He may also acknowledge them in 
the day of His glory. 

2. Joseph begs the body of the Lord. It is a large 
request — ^^for the body which has been the very 
temple of the Godhead, the dwelling-place of the 
living Word and the instrument of God's miracles 
of grace." Pilate gives away the body of the Lord 
Jesus. He does not suspect what an incomparably 
precious gift he is bestowing. Fittingly may we 
exclaim: ''Hear what the unjust judge doeth ! 
And shall God refuse His Son, once given up to 
death, to those w^ho ask for Him ? " (Rambach). 

3. They take down the body of the Lord from 
the cross and bear it reverently to the sepulchre in 
the garden of Joseph of Arimathsea. ' ' In a garden, 
sin and the curse entered the world through Adam's 
transgression ; in a garden, the atoning sufferings 
of Christ began ; in a garden, sin, death and the 
curse were buried with Christ" (Besser). 

The Lord of Life is laid in the grave. Even in 
this He would be like us, and by His descent into 
the grave hallow the way for us and shed the rays 
of His grace upon the darkness of our tombs. ''As 
Christ by His baptism in the water of the Jordan 
has hallowed all the water of the earth as a fit 
medium of the washing of regeneration, so has He 
by His burial in Joseph's sepulchre hallowed all 
our graves and made them but the sleeping cham- 
bers of the living. As Christ was born for us, and 
suffered and died for us, so likewise was He buried 



212 MEDITATIO^'S FOE THE PASSION SEASON. 



for US, for He thereby secured for us a blessed rest 
in the grave. God rested on the seventh day after 
the work of the creation and celebrated it as a 
Sabbath day. Thus Christ, having completed His 
atoning work, would keep His Sabbath in the 
grave, that our souls might rest peacefully in God 
and our bodies in the tomb, and that the way 
might stand open before us into everlasting rest" 
(Gerhard). 

4. Jesus Christ, who is our Life, rests in the 
tomb. This day is the most solemnly quiet of the 
year. It intervenes between the day of deepest 
sorrow which the earth has witnessed and the most 
blessed day of joy that has ever dawned. The 
disciples of Jesus spent the day in quietness, and 
so should we spend quietly the little time of our 
sojourn on earth until the last Easter Morning shall 
dawn in its eternal glory. As the Lord rose from 
His grave triumphant and glorious, despite the 
guard and seal, so shall we then arise and gain the 
victory over all our enemies — sin, death and the 
devil ! And it is just this glorious hope which can 
preserve the soul in Cjuietness and peace in every 
storm and conflict, in suffering and in death. May 
the Lord strengthen our faith, and help us to rest 
quietly in Him, that we may say with David : 

Truly my soul waiteth upon God." 

5. We haA'e now followed the inspired history 
of the Passion of our Lord to its close. Let us lay 
to heart the words of Luther: ^"Thus, beloved, 
have you heard the whole history of the sufferings 



GOOD FRIDAY EVENING. 



213 



of our Lord Jesus Christ, from which we should 
learn particularly how great and horrible a burden 
is sin, since the Son of God Himself was compelled 
to struggle so terribly in bearing it and to make 
recompense for it by His own death — in order that 
we may keep ourselves in the fear of God and be 
on our guard against such burdens. In the second 
place, we should learn to find comfort against sin 
in the sacrifice of the Lord Christ, in order that, 
although sin and death assail us, we may yet 
firmly preserve the consolation, that Christ has 
made recompense for our sins and that God will 
for His sake be satisfied with us and no more 
remember our sins. These are the two chief doc- 
trines which are presented to us in the Passion 
(of our Lord), and which should be kept in mind 
and taught by us. This history may further teach 
us patience and quiet endurance of suffering, since 
the Son of God goes before us here with His own 
example. Again, it may impel us to love for our 
neighbors, as the Lord Himself so often urges, 
saying : ^As I have loved you, so do ye also love 
one another.' But who will undertake or be able 
to recount all the lessons which we may learn from 
the sufferings of our Lord Christ ? ' ' May the Lord 
preserve to us and increase the blessings of the 
Passion Season, and grant to us a joyful and 
blessed Easter, filling our hearts with true Easter 
joy, until we shall have overcome all the sorrows 
of earth and are permitted to enter upon the en- 
joyment of the Easter Day that shall know no end. 



214 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 



PRAYER. 

Lord Jesiis ! Thou hast entered the darkness of the 
tomb. Thou, who art the Life of the World, hast gone 
down to death that Thou mightest taste death for every 
man. Thy disciples are filled with grief and heaviness. 
We mourn for Thee, for the hope of a lost world was 
buried with Thee in Joseph's sepulchre. But we know 
that Thou canst not be holden of death. Thou art the 
Holy One of God, and canst not see corruption. Soon 
will the Easter morning dawn, when Thou shalt rise 
victorious over death and the grave. We praise Thee, 
that Thou hast thus hallowed the tomb for us. There may 
our slumbering bodies rest until the glorious morning of 
the resurrection, when Thou, the firstborn from the 
dead, shall come with the voice of the trumpet and all 
Thy holy angels with Thee. Then, Lord Jesus, do 
Thou remember me and call me forth to life, that I may 
enjoy the fruits of Thy sacrificial death and live with 
Thee forever in blessedness and glory. Amen. 



SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER. 



The Descent Into Hell. 

15. But sanctify he Lord God in your hearts: and be ready 
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason 
of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear : 

16. Having a good conscience ; that, whereas they speak evil of 
you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse 
your good conversation in Christ. 

17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for 
well doing, than for evil doing. 

18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the 
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the 
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit : 

ig. By which also he v/ent and preached unto the spirits in 
prison ; 

20. Which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long- 
suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was 
a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by 
water. 

21. The like figure whereunto e7'en baptism doth also now save 
us ( not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer 
of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ : 

22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God ; 
angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him 
(i Peter iii. 15-22). 



SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER. 



215 



1. Christ is dead. He has suffered for our 
sins J the just for the unjust. Be thou ready, if 
need be, to suffer with Him (15-18). In the 
grave reposes the Lord, slain according to the flesh, 
but made ahve according to the Spirit. In the 
spirit He has entered the prison-house— Hades, 
hell — where the spirits of those who have died 
without Christ, and before Christ, are awaiting 
the last judgment and the resurrection of their 
bodies. The life of that world is enwrapped in 
deep mystery. Thou canst not penetrate or un- 
derstand it by the power of thy reason, for the 
Lord has veiled it from our view. All that has 
been revealed to us is that there are two places, 
separated by a great gulf, whither the soul3 of 
men go after death, i. e., Abraham's bosom, or 
paradise — and the prison-house of the lost. To 
both places the Lord went after He was slain, 
accompanied to paradise by the penitent thief, 
and also, as here declared, to the world of the 
lost. 

2. But was it not a deep humiliation for Christ 
to descend to the prison of lost souls? Yea, it 
would have been if the prison-bars could have kept 
Him there. But it had been already prophesied : 
' ' Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer 
Thy Holy One to see corruption." He does not 
go thither to remain, but to preach to the spirits 
in prison, who had not believed in the days of 
Noah, and to all the dead. As the Victor over 
sin, death, and the power of the devil, He ap- 



216 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

pears in hell to the dismay of all lost souls, but to 
the unspeakable delight of all who have believed. 
The unbelieving who have despised the Word 
of God and His grace must now with terror 
realize that their condemnation shall endure for- 
ever, and that for them there is no hope. All 
the pious who from the beginning of the world 
have waited for redemption — the holy patriarchs, 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; Moses and Joshua ; 
David and all the holy prophets ; Simeon and 
Anna, with John the Baptist — this entire Old 
Testament Church of God — what must have been 
their unutterable delight when the Lord, having 
finished His work on earth, appeared among 
them as the conqueror of all evil ? They had long 
fixed their hopes on Him. They had by the 
power of the Spirit borne testimony to Him on 
earth. Now is His glorious work completed, and 
Jesus Christ appears in His eternal majesty and 
glory in the midst of the departed spirits, to make 
it manifest to all that the work has been accom- 
plished. Even there must every tongue confess 
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, 
the Father. Thus the descent to hell, which at 
first appears so great a humiliation, is transformed 
into a wonderful exaltation and a great triumph. 
He enters the prison-world, not as a prisoner, but as 
the Lord, who despoils principalities and powers, 
and makes a show of them openly, leading them 
in triumph ; who has ascended on high and led 
captivity captive, and sitteth at the right hand of 



SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER. 



217 



God, angels, and authorities, and powers being 
made subject unto Him. 

3. The descent of Christ into hell is, and must 
remain for us, an impenetrable mystery, and yet 
a source of richest comfort, concerning which the 
Fathers of our Church have very fittingly con- 
fessed : It is sufficient that we know that Christ 
descended into hell, destroyed hell for all who be- 
lieve on Him, and delivered them from the power 
of death and of the devil, from eternal damnation 
and the jaw^s of hell. But how this occurred, we 
should [not curiously investigate, but] reserve 
until the other w^orld, where not only this point, 
but also still others, will be more fully revealed, 
which we here simply believe, and cannot compre- 
hend with our blind reason ' ' (Formula of Con- 
cord). Thus also Luther, and with him our 
Church, admonishes us : ^' But [as to] how this 
occurred, we should not worry ourselves with 
lofty and shrewd thoughts ; for this article cannot 
be grasped by the reason and the five senses, but 
requires that we .simply believe it and hold fast to 
the Word [of God concerning it] . Thus we re- 
tain the kernel and comfort of it, that neither hell 
nor the devil can capture or injure us, nor any 
who believe on Christ. ' ' 

4. We have during the solemn weeks now past 
commemorated the deep sufferings of our Lord. 
Yesterday His painful death upon the cross was 
held before us. But the time of His conflict and 
sufferings is now past forever. To-morrow dawns 



218 MEDITATIONS FOR THE PASSION SEASON. 

the day of His glorious resurrection, which shall 
make manifest His triumph. For us He died ; 
for us He was buried ; for us He descended into 
helL In the resurrection we have the seal of the 
approval of His work and sacrifice by God, the 
Father. We can, therefore, no longer fear. All 
the conflicts and sufferings of this present w^orld 
are already overcome. Who can harm us, since 
Jesus Christ, our Saviour, has vanquished for us 
all our foes ? Peace and blissful rest are now our 
happy portion. It cost the Lord great effort, 
anxiety, distress and blood ; but it is all bestowed 
upon us of free grace. Therefore can we calmly 
place ourselves in the hands of Jesus, and say 
with David : ' ' Truly my soul is quiet before God : 
from Him cometh my salvation." A holy calm 
and quiet rest to-day upon the hearts of all be- 
lievers. The week of torture is at an end. Be- 
tween the greatest day of sorrow which the earth 
has seen and the day of most exultant joy lies 
this silent day of waiting. Christ rests in the 
tomb — and there is a solemn silence throughout the 
world wherever His name has been made known. 
May such holy calm hallow our whole lives. We 
have peace through the death of the Lord Jesus. 
Our hope is fixed upon the blessed Easter Day 
w^hich the Lord has promised us. We know that 
He will come again. Then shall His life-giving 
power penetrate the graves of all His saints. O, 
when shall the Eternal Easter morning dawn? 
Even so, come. Lord Jesus ! 



SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER. 



219 



PEAYEE. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou ever-blessed Son of the living 
God, we render Thee praise and thanksgiving, that while 
Thy sacred flesh was resting in the tomb Thou didst 
descend into hell and preach unto the spirits in prison. 
Thy mercy is so great and glorious that Thou didst re- 
member even the dead, and make known to them the 
only way of salvation. Grant that we may accept in 
simple faith this mystery, and that we may so sincerely 
repent and obey Thy Word while we live, that we may not 
in the end endure the pangs of eternal death, but may, 
with Thee, rise to everlasting life. We praise Thee for Thy 
glorious triumph over principalities and powers. Help us 
to remain steadfast in our faith in Thee, and as Thou hast 
burst the bars of death and hell, may we share the 
glorious fruits of Thy victory, and by Thy mercy enter 
into everlasting blessedness in that bright world where 
death is unknown, and where there is fullness of life and 
joy for evermore. Amen. 



HISTORY OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD 



AS RECORDED BY THE FOUR EVANGELISTS. 



PAET FIEST. 

Then gathered the chief -priests and the Pharisees a 
council, and said, What do we ? for this man doeth many 
miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe 
on him ; and the Eomans shall come and take aw^ay both 
our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, 
being the high-priest that same year, said unto them, Ye 
know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for 
us that one man should die for the people, and that the 
whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of him- 
self : but being high-priest that year, he prophesied that 
Jesus should die for that nation ; and not for that nation 
only, but that also he should gather together in one the 
children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from 
that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to 
death. 

And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve dis- 
ciples apart in the way, and said unto them. Behold, we 
go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are WTitten by the 
prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accom- 
plished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and 
shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on : 
and they shall scourge him, and put him to death ; and 
the third day he shall rise again. And they understood 
none of these things : and this saying was hid from them, 
neither knew they the things which were spoken. 

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Beth- 
any, w^here Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he 
raised from the dead. There they made him a supper in 
the house of Simon the leper ; and Martha served : but 
Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 
And as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an ala- 
baster box of ointment and spikenard very precious ; 
she brake the box and poured it on his head, and anointed 

(221) 



222 HISTORY OF THE 

the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair ; and 
the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Then 
saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, 
which should betray him, Why was not this ointment 
sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 
This he said, not that he cared for the poor ; but because 
he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put 
therein. And Jesus said, Let her alone ; why trouble ye 
her ? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have 
the poor with you always, and w^hensoever ye will ye may 
do them good ; but me ye have not ahvays. She hath 
done what she could : she has come aforehand to anoint 
my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Where- 
soever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole 
world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for 
a memorial oi her. 

On the next day, w^hen they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, 
and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, 
then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into 
the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find 
an ass tied, and a colt with her ; loose them, and bring 
them unto me. And if any man say aught unto you, ye 
shall say. The Lord hath need of them ; and straightway 
he will send them. All this was done, that it might be 
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying : Tell 
ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto 
thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of 
an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus com- 
manded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put 
on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. The 
people therefore that was with him when he called Laza- 
rus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare 
record. And many spread their garments in the way ; 
others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed 
them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, 
and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of 
David ; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the 
Lord ; Hosanna in the highest. 

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude 
said unto him. Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he 
answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these 
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately 
cry out. And when he was come near, he beheld the 
city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even 
thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong 
unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



223 



For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies 
shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, 
and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even 
with the ground, and thy children within thee ; and they 
shall not leave in thee one stone upon another : because 
thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. 

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was 
moved, saying. Who is this? And the multitude said, 
This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And 
Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them 
that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the 
tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that 
sold doves. And said unto them, It is .written. My house 
shall be called the house of prayer ; but ye have made 
it a den of thieves. And it came to pass, that as he 
taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, 
the chief-priests and the scribes came rpon him with the 
elders, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what au- 
thority doest thou these things ? or who is he that gave 
thee this authority ? And Jesus answered and said unto 
them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, 
and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 
And they reasoned with themselves, saying. If we shall 
say, From heaven ; he will say, Why then believe ye 
him not? But and if we say. Of men; all the people 
will stone us ; for they be persuaded that John was a 
prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said. We cannot 
tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what 
authority I do these things. There was a certain house- 
holder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round 
about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, 
and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far 
country. And when the time of the fruit grew near, he 
sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give 
him of the fruit of the vineyard : but the husbandmen 
beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent 
unto them another servant ; and at him they cast stones, 
and wounded him in the head, and sent him away 
shamefully handled. And again he sent another, and 
him they killed, and many others ; beating some, and 
killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well be- 
loved, he sent him also la«t unto them, saying. They 
will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw 
him they reasoned among themselves, saying. This is the 
heir : come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be 



224 



HISTORY OF THE 



ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 
What therefore shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto 
those husbandmen ? They say unto him, He will miser- 
ably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vine- 
yard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the 
fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye 
never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the build- 
ers rejected, the same has become the head of the corner ; 
this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes ? 
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be 
taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the 
fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone 
shall be broken : but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will 
grind him to powder. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that 
killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent 
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children 
together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her 
wings, and ye would not I Behold, your house is left unto 
you desolate. For I say unto you. Ye shall not see me 
henceforth, till ye shall say. Blessed is He that cometh in 
the name of the Lord. 

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard 
his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. And 
when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the 
multitude, because they took him for a prophet ; and 
they left him, and went their way. 



PART SECOND. 

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the 
passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, 
saying. Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 
And they said unto him. Where wilt thou that we pre- 
pare? And he said unto them. Behold, when ye are 
entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing 
a pitcher of w^ater ; follow him into the house where he 
entereth in. And ye shall say unto the good man of the 
house. The Master saith unto thee. My time is at hand ; 
I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 
And he shall show you a large upper room furnished : 
there make ready. And his disciples went forth, and 
came into the city, and found as he had said unto them ; 
and they made ready the passover. 

Now when the even was come he sat down with the 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



225 



twelve. And he said unto them, With desire I have 
desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer : 
For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until 
it be fulfilled in the kingdom of "^God. And he took the 
cup and gave thanks, and said. Take this, and divide it 
among yourselves : for 1 say unto you, I will not drink 
of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it 
new with you in my Father's kingdom. 

And there was also a strife among them, which of them 
should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto 
them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over 
them ; and they that exercise authority upon them are 
called benefactors. But ye shall not be so : but he that 
is greatest among you, let him be as the younger ; and he 
that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is 
greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ? is 
not he that sitteth at meat ? but I am among you as he 
that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with 
me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a king- 
dom, as my Father has appointed unto me ; that ye may 
eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on 
thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

And supper being ended, the devil having now put 
into the heart of Jidas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray 
him ; Jesus kn'owing that the Father had given all things 
unto his hands, and that he was come from God, and 
w^ent to God ; he riseth from supper, and laid aside his 
garments ; and took a towel, and girded himself. After 
that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the 
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel where- 
with he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter : 
and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet ? 
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou 
knowest not now ; but thou shalt know^ hereafter. 
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. 
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part 
with me. Simon Peter saith unto hin:i. Lord, not my feet 
only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to 
him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, 
but is clean every whit : and ye are clean, but not all. 
For he knew who should betray him ; therefore said he, 
Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, 
and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he 
said unto them. Know ye what I have done to you ? Ye 
call me Master and Lord : and ye say well ; for so I am. 
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet ; 

15 



226 



HISTORY OF THE 



ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have 
given you an example, that ye should do as I have done 
to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you. The servant is not 
greater than his lord ; neither he that is sent greater 
than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy 
are ye if ye do them. 

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, 
and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples 
looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 
Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said. 
Master, is it I ? He said unto them, thou hast said. Now 
there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, 
whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to 
him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he 
spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him. 
Lord, who is it ? Jesus answered. He it is, to whom* I 
shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he 
had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son 
of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. 
Then said Jesus unto him. That thou doest, do quickly. 
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake 
this unto him. For some of them thought, because 
Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him. Buy 
tho.^e things that we have need of against the feast ; or, 
that he should give something to the poor. He then, 
having received the sop, went immediately out ; and it 
was night. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, 
Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as 
wheat ; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail 
not : and when thou art converted, strengthen thy 
brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to 
go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he 
said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, 
before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. 

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and 
brake it, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; 
this is my body, which is given for you : this do in re- 
membrance of me. After the same manner also he took 
the cup, when he had supped, and gave thanks, and gave 
it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it. This cup is the 
New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you and 
for many for the remission of sins : this do ye, as oft as 
ye drink it, in remembrance of me ; and they all drank 
of it. And when they had sung a hymn they went out 
into the mount of Olives. .» 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



227 



PART THIRD. 

And Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, 
Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy Son, that thy Son 
also may glorify thee : as thou hast given him power over 
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as 
thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they 
might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 
w^hom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth : 
I have finished the work w^hich thou gavest me to do. 
And now, O Father, glorify thou me Avith thine own self, 
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou 
gavest me out of the world : thine they were, and thou 
gavest them me ; and they have kept thy word. Now they 
have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given 
me are of thee. For I have given unto them the w^ords 
which thou gavest me ; and they have received them, and 
have know^n surely that I came out from thee, and they 
have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them : 
I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast 
gi\'en me ; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, 
and thine are mine ; and I am glorified in' them. And 
now I am no more in the world, but these are in the 
world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through 
thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that 
they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in 
the world, I kept them in thy name : those that thou 
gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the 
son of perdition ; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 
And now come I to thee ; and these things I speak in 
the w^orld, that they might have my joy fulfilled in them- 
selves. I have given them thy word ; and the world 
hath hated them, because they are not of the world, 
even, as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou 
shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou 
shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the 
w^orld- even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them 
through thy truth : thy word is truth. As thou hast sent 
me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the 
world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they 
also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray 
I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe 
on me through their word ; that they all may be one ; as 
thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may 



228 



HISTORY OF THE 



be one in us ; that the world may believe that thou hast 
sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have 
given them ; that they may be one, even as we are one : I 
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect 
in one ; and that the world may know that thou hast sent 
me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, 
I will ttiat they also, whom thou hast given me, be with 
me where I am ; that they may behold my glory, which 
thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before the 
foundation of the world. righteous Father, the world 
hath not known thee : but I have known thee, and these 
have known that thou hast sent me. And I have de- 
clared unto them thy name, and will declare it ; that the 
love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and 
I in them.. 

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth 
with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a 
garden, which was named Gethsemane : into which he 
entered, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while 
I go and pray yonder. iVnd he took with him Peter 
and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful 
and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is 
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death : tarry ye here, 
and watch with me. And he was withdrawn from them 
about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed. 
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and 
prayed, saying, my Father, if it be possible, let this 
cup pass from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as 
thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and find- 
eth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye 
not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that 
ye enter not into temptation : the spirit indeed is willing, 
but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second 
time, and prayed, saying, my Father, if this cup raay 
not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy wiirbe 
done. And he came and found them asleep again : for 
their eyes were heavy, neither wist they what to answer 
him. And he left them, and went away again, and 
prayed the third time, saying the same words. Father, if 
thou be willing, remove this cup from me : nevertheless, 
not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an 
angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And 
being in an agony he prayed more earnestly : and his 
sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to 
the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was 
come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



229 



and said unto them, Why sleep ye ? rise and pray, lest ye 
enter into temptation. Sleep on now, and take your rest : 
behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is be- 
trayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going : 
behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. 

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, 
came, and with him a great multitude with swords and 
staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, 
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he ; hold him fast. 
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come 
upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek 
ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus 
said unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which be- 
trayed him, stood with them. As soon as he had said 
unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the 
ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye ? 
And they said Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I 
have told you that I am he : if therefore ye seek me, 
let these go their way : that the saying might be fulfilled, 
which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I 
lost none. And forthwith Judas came to Jesus, and 
said, Hail, Master ; and kissed him. And Jesus said 
unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a 
kiss? When they which were about him saw what 
would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite 
with the sword? And one of them, Simon Peter, hav- 
ing a sword, smote the high-priest's servant, and cut 
off his right ear. And Jesus said, Suffer ye thus far. 
And he touched his ear and healed him. Then said 
Jesus unto Peter, Put up again thv sword into hi^ 
place : for all they that take the sword shall perish with 
the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my 
Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve 
legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be 
fulfilled, that thus it must be ? In that same hour said 
Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief 
with swords and staves for to take me ? I sat daily with 
you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me, 
but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. But all 
this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might 
be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to 
Caiaphas the high-priest, where the scribes and the elders 
were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off into 
the high-priest's palace. 



230 



HISTORY OF THE 



^ PART FOUETH. 

Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews 
took Jesus, and bound hhn, and led him away to Annas 
first ; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the 
high-priest that same year. Xow Caiaphas was he which 
gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one 
man should die for the people. Xow Annas had sent 
Jesus bound unto Caiaphas the high-priest, where all the 
chief priests and the scribes and the elders were assembled. 
The high-priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of 
his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the 
world ; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, 
whither the Jews always resort ; and in secret have I 
said nothing. Why askest thou me ? ask them which heard 
me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know 
what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the 
officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his 
hand, saying, Answerest thou the high-priest so ? Jesus 
answered him. If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the 
evil : but if well, why smitest thou me ? 

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council 
sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death : 
but found none. For many bare false witness against 
him, but their witness agreed not together. At the last 
came two false witnesses, and said. This fellow said, I 
am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it 
in three days. And the high-priest stood up in the 
midst and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? 
what is it which these witness against thee ? But Jesus 
held his peace. Again the high -priest asked him, and 
said unto him. Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? 
I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether 
thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said unto him, 
Thou hast said ; I am ; nevertheless I say unto you, 
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right 
hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 
Then the high-priest rent his clothes, saying. He hath 
spoken blasphemy ; w^hat further need have we of wit- 
nesses ? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 
What think ye? They answered and said. He is guilty of 
death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him ; 
and others smote him with the palms of their hands, say- 
ing, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ : who is he that smote 
thee? 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



231 



But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out 
that other disciple which was known unto the high- 
priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and 
brought in Peter. Then said the damsel that kept the 
door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's 
disciples ? He saith, I am not, and went in, and sat with 
the servants to see the end. And the servants and 
officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals, for it 
was cold, and they warmed themselves : and Peter stood 
with them, and warmed himself. There cometh one of 
the maids of the high-priest ; and when she saw Peter 
warming himself, she looked upon him and said. Thou 
also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied before 
them all, saying, I know not, neither understand I what 
thou sayest. And he went out into the porch ; and the 
cock crew. And about the space of one hour after, another 
confidently affirmed, saying. Of a truth this fellow also 
was with him ; for he is a Galilean. One of the servants 
of the high-priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut 
off, saith, Did I not see thee in the garden with him ? 
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and 
said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them ; for thy 
speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to 
swear, saying, I know not the man, of whom ye speak. 
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew the 
second time. And the Lord turned and looked upon 
Peter. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus 
said unto him. Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt 
deny me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly. 

When the morning was come, the whole multitude of 
them aross, bound Jesus, and carried him away from 
Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and delivered him 
to Pontius Pilate the governor. And they themselves 
went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be de- 
filed, but that they might eat the passover. 

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw 
that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought 
again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and 
elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed 
the innocent blood. And they said. What is that to us ? 
see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver 
in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged him- 
self. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and 
said. It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, 
because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and 
bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 



232 



HISTORY OF THE 



Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto 
this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by 
Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty 
pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom 
they of the children of Israel did value ; and gave them 
for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. 



PAET FIFTH. 

Pilate then went out unto them, and said. What accu- 
sation bring ye against this man ? They answered and 
said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not 
have delivered him unto thee. Then said Pilate unto 
them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. 
The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us 
to put any man to death : that the saying of Jesus might 
be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he 
should die. 

And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this 
fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give 
tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king. 
Then Pilate entered the judgment hall again, and called 
Jesus, and said unto him. Art thou the King of the Jews? 
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did 
others tell it thee of me ? Pilate answered. Am I a Jew ? 
Thine own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered 
thee unto me. What hast thou done ? Jesus answered, 
My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were 
of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should 
not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom 
not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou 
a king then ? Jesus answered. Thou sayest that I am a 
king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I 
into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. 
Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate 
saith unto him, AVhat is truth ? And when he had said 
this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto 
them, I find in him no fault at all. 

And when he was accused of the chief priests and 
elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, 
Hearest thou not how many things they witness against 
thee ? And he answered him to never a word ; inso- 
mjjch that the governor marvelled greatly. And they 
were the more fierce, saying. He stirreth up the people, 
teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



233 



to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked 
whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon as he 
knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction he sent 
him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that 
time. And when Herod saw Jesus he was exceeding 
glad : for he was desirous to see him of a long season, 
because he had heard many things of him ; and he hoped 
to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he ques- 
tioned with him in many words : but he answered him 
nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood, and 
vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of 
war set him at naught, and mocked him, and arrayed him 
in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And 
the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends 
together : for before they were at enmity between them- 
selves. 

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, 
and the rulers, and the people, said unto them, Te have 
brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the 
people : and, behold, I, having examined him before 
you, have found no fault in this man touching those 
things whereof ye accuse him ; no, nor yet Herod : for I 
sent you to him ; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is 
done unto hinl : I will therefore chastise him, and release 
him. 

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release 
unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they 
had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas, that for 
sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom tliey had 
desired ; and the multitude crying aloud began to desire 
him to do as he had ever done unto them. Put I ilate 
answered them, saying, Will ye that I release ur.to 
you the King of the Jews? Whom will ye that I release 
unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 
For he knew that for envy the chief priests had de- 
livered him. When he was set down on the judgment 
seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou ncthirg 
to do with that just man : for I have suffered many 
things this day in a dream because of him. But the 
chief priests moved the people, that he should rather re- 
lease Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said 
again unto them, AVhat will ye then that I shall do unto 
him whom ye call the King of the Jews? But they 
cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. He said unto 
them the third time. Why, what evil hath he done ? I have 
found no cause of death in him : 1 will therefore chas- 



234 



HISTORY OF THE 



tise him, and let him go. And they cried out the more 
exceedingly, Crucify him. And they were instant with 
loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified : and 
the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, 
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that 
I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing 
the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate 
saith unto them. Behold the man. When the chief 
priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, say- 
ing, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, 
Take ye him, and crucify him : for I find no fault in him. 
The Jews answered him. We have a law, and by our law 
he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more 
afraid ; and went again unto the judgment hall, and saith 
unto Jesus, Whence art thou ? But Jesus gave him no 
inswer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou 
not unto me? kno west thou not that I have power to 
crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus 
answered. Thou couldst have no power at all against me, 
except it were given thee from above : therefore he that 
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from 
thenceforth Pilate sought to release him : but the Jews 
cried out, saying. If thou let this man go, thou art not 
Caesar's friend : whosoever maketh himself a king speak- 
eth against Csesar. When Pilate therefore heard that 
saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judg- 
ment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in 
the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it w^as the preparation of 
the passover, and about the sixth hour : and he said 
unto the Jews, Behold your King ! But they cried out. 
Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate 
saith unto them. Shall I crucify your King? .The chief 
priests answered. We have no king but Caesar. When 
Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather 
a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his 
hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the 
blood of this just person ; see ye to it. Then answered 
al 1 the people, and said. His blood be on us, and on our 
children. Then released he Barabbas unto them : and 
when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be 
crucified. 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



235 



PART SIXTH. 

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the 
common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of 
soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a 
scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of 
thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right 
hand : and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked 
him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews ! And they spit 
upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 
And after that they had mocked him they took the robe 
off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and Jed 
him away to crucify him. And there were also two 
others, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 

And he bearing his cross went forth : and as they 
came out tliey found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, 
coming out of the country, and on him they laid the 
cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there fol- 
lowed him a great company of people, and of women, 
which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turn- 
ing unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not 
for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 
For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall 
say. Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never 
bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall 
they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us ; and to 
the hills. Cover us. For if they do these things in a 
green tree, what shall be done in the dry? 

And when they were come unto a place called Golgo- 
tha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him to 
drink wine mingled with myrrh : but he received it not. 
There they crucified him. Then said Jesus, Father, for- 
give them ; for they know not what they do. And it was 
the third hour. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on 
the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZA- 
RETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then 
read many of the Jews ; for the place where Jesus was 
crucified was nigh unto the city : and it was written in 
Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief 
priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the 
Jews ; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate 
answered, Wliat I have written I have written. 

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took 
his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part ; 
and also his coat : now the coat was without seam, woven 



236 



HISTORY OF THE 



from the top throughout. They said therefore among 
themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose 
it shall be : that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which 
saith. They parted my raiment among them, and for my 
vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the 
soldiers did. And sitting down they watched him there. 
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also 
w^ith them derided him, saying. He saved others ; let him 
save himself, if he be Christ the chosen of God. 

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and 
his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary 
Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw his mother, and 
the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his 
mother. Woman, behold thy son ! Then saith he to the 
disciple. Behold thy mother ! and from that hour that 
disciple took her unto his own home. 
' And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their 
heads, and saying. Ah thou that destroyest the temple, 
and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be 
the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise 
also the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and 
elders, said. He saved others ; himself he cannot save. 
If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down 
from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in 
God ; let him deliver him now, if he will have him : 
for he said I am the Son of God. The thieves also, 
which w^ere crucified with him, cast the same in his 
teeth. And one of the malefactors which were hanged 
railed on him, saying. If thou be Christ save thyself and 
us. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost 
not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemna- 
tion? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due 
reward of our deeds : but this man hath done nothing 
amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when 
thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto 
him, Yerily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be wdth 
me in paradise. 

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a 
darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And 
the sun w^as darkened. And about the ninth hour Jesus 
cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? 
that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken 
me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard 
it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. After this, Jesus know- 
ing that all things were now accomplished, that the 
Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there 



PASSION OF OUR LORD. 



237 



was set a vessel full of vinegar. And straightway one of 
them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, 
and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest 
said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save 
him. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, 
he said. It is finished : and cried with a loud voice, Father, 
into thy hands I commend my spirit : and having said 
thus, he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. And 
behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the 
top to the bottom ; and the earth did quake, and the rocks 
rent ; and the graves Avere opened ; and many bodies of 
the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves 
after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and 
appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and 
they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earth- 
quake and those things that were done, they feared 
greatly, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 
Truly this was the Son of God. And all the people that 
came together to that sight, beholding the things which 
were done, smote their breasts and returned. 



PAKT SEVENTH. 

And all his acquaintance and the women that followed 
him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things. 
Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the 
mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome the 
mother of Zebedee's children. Who also, when he was 
in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him ; and 
many other women which came up with him unto Jeru- 
salem. 

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, 
that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the 
Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day Avas a high day), 
besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that 
they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and 
brake the legs of the first and of the other which was 
crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and 
saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs : 
but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and 
forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that 
saw it bare record, and his record is true ; and he know- 
eth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these 
things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, 
A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another 



238 HISTORY OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. 

Scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they 
pierced. 

When the even was come, a rich man of Arimathea 
named Joseph, an honorable counsellor, which also 
w^aited for the kingdom of God, a good man and a just ; 
(the same had not consented to the counsel and the deed 
of them ; ) being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear 
of the Jews, came and w^ent in boldly unto Pilate, and 
craved the body of Jesus, xind Pilate marvelled if he 
were already dead : and calling unto him the centurion, 
he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 
And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body 
to Joseph. 

And Joseph bought fine linen, and took him down. 
And there came also Nicodemus (which at the first came 
to Jesus by night) , and brought a mixture of myrrh and 
aloes, about a hundred pound w^eight. Then took they 
the body ot Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the 
spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 

Now in the place where he w^as crucified there was a 
garden ; and. in the garden a new sepulchre, hewn out in 
the rock : wherein never before w^as man laid. There laid 
they Jesus therefore, because of the Jew^s' preparation 
day ; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. And Joseph 
rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and de- 
parted. 

And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary 
sitting over against the sepulchre. And the women 
also which came with him from Galilee follow^ed after, 
and beheld the sepulchre and how" his body was laid. 
And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, 
and rested the Sabbath day, according to the command- 
ment. 

Now the next day that followed the day of prepara- 
tion, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto 
Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said 
while he was yet alive. After three days I wall rise again. 
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure 
until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, 
and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is 
risen from the dead : so the last error shall be worse than 
the first. Pilate said unto them. Ye have a watch ; go 
your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went and 
niade the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a 
watch. 



